The object of worship reveals the worshipper's nature: sattvic people worship the gods, rajasic people worship power-beings, and tamasic people worship ghosts and spirits. The traditions offer rich interpretations of this principle. Shankara sees the hierarchy of worship-objects reflecting the hierarchy of understanding. Ramanuja teaches that the highest worship is directed to the Supreme Lord. Madhva affirms that worshipping Vishnu demonstrates sattvic faith, while worship of lesser beings reflects lower dispositions. Abhinavagupta interprets the three objects of worship as reflecting degrees of recognition — sattvic worship approaches the universal, rajasic fixates on power, tamasic descends to the fearful and confused. Vallabha teaches that through grace, the devotee is drawn to worship Krishna directly. The bhakti tradition emphasizes that the quality of devotion matters more than the sophistication of the practitioner. Tilak interprets worship broadly as the values people serve — truth, power, or ignorance. Vivekananda reads this psychologically: what you worship reveals who you are, making self-examination through honest assessment of one's actual values the beginning of wisdom. The verse invites each person to examine not what they claim to value but what they actually pursue with their energy and attention.