In the Durga-puja, Devi-puja, they ask, after offering Mother Durga all sorts of paraphernalia, then they puspanjali, they pray favor, dhanam dehi rupam dehi balam dehi. Dehi, dehi. Dehi means “give me.” Therefore it is called puja. Puja, just like in business circle, if you want to take some business from a big merchant, so you satisfy him, flatter him, and sometimes invite him in hotel and give him nice dinner. In this way, after he is satisfied, “Sir, if you kindly give me this contract.” [laughter] Or “If you give me this post.”

The ultimate aim is his post and contract, not to satisfy the person. No. He’s spending some money for his own sense gratification. Similarly, all these pujas, the demigod puja, that is for his sense gratification. That’s all. Krsna therefore condemns this: kamais tais tair hrta-jnana yajante anya-devatah [Bg. 7.20]. This very kama, these words, kama, kamas, kama, kama.

All these kamas have been condemned by Krsna — Kamais tais tair hrta-jnana yajante anya-devatah — the persons who go to worship other demigods like Devi, Maya, Durga, Siva, or Indra, Candra, so many.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.1–3 — May 22, 1972, Los Angeles