“Among benevolent men, four kinds worship Me: the distressed, those who desire wealth, those who desire knowledge, and the man of wisdom” (Bhagavad Gita 7:16).
Now a great deal of people think they are religious, but Krishna is presenting us with four broad categories of those who can be said to genuinely be seeking God. All others are only seeking their egos in some form and need not be seriously considered, such as those who are only cultivating the approval of others (or themselves) or who want to make a positive impression to cover their intentional negativity. We can look at each of the “real four” in turn.
1. The distressed
Artas means those who are intensely troubled–bereft, afflicted, distressed, or suffering. Wisely they seek for relief in God, rather than try to distract themselves or deny their problems. Nor do they fool themselves with the “answers” and “good things” of the deluded world.
2. Those who desire wealth
Artharthi are those who seek attainment and welfare. They do fool themselves with the “answers” and “good things” of the deluded world.
