Bhagavad Gita 4.33श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः परन्तप।सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते ॥
śhreyān dravya-mayād yajñāj jñāna-yajñaḥ
parantapa sarvaṁ karmākhilaṁ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate
Sanskrit recitation
Every act can be sacred · 4.24–4.33 · Teaching
Translation
Superior is wisdom-sacrifice to the sacrifice with objects, O Parantapa (scorcher of the foes). All actions in their entirety, O Arjuna, culminate in knowledge.
Hindi translation
हे परन्तप अर्जुन ! द्रव्यमय यज्ञसे ज्ञानयज्ञ श्रेष्ठ है। सम्पूर्ण कर्म और पदार्थ ज्ञान-(तत्त्वज्ञान-) में समाप्त हो जाते हैं।
Meaning
Sacrifices with material objects cause material effects and bring the sacrificer to this world for the enjoyment of the fruits, while wisdomsacrifice leads to Moksha. Therefore wisdomsacrifice is superior to the sacrifice performed with material objects. Just as rivers join the ocean, so do all actions join knowledge, i.e., they culminate in knowledge. All actions purify the heart and lead to the dawn of knowledge of the Self.All actions that are performed as offerings unto the Lord with their fruits are contained in the knowledge of Brahman. (Cf.IX.15X.25XVIII.70)
After Swami Sivananda
Every act can be sacred· 4.24–4.33→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 4.24Brahman is the oblation; Brahman is the melted butter (ghee); by Brahman is the oblation…
- 4.25Some yogis perform sacrifice to the gods alone; while others, who have realized the Self,…
- 4.26Some again offer the organ of hearing and other senses as a sacrifice in the fire of…
- 4.27Others again sacrifice all the functions of the senses and those of the breath (vital…
- 4.28Others again offer wealth, austerity, and Yoga as sacrifice, while ascetics of…
- 4.29Others offer as sacrifice the outgoing breath into the incoming, and the incoming into the…
- 4.30Others who regulate their diet offer life-breaths in each life-breath. All these are…
- 4.31Those who eat the remnants of the sacrifice, which are like nectar, go to the eternal…
- 4.32Thus, manifold sacrifices are spread out before Brahman at the face of Brahman. Know them…
4.33Superior is wisdom-sacrifice to the sacrifice with objects, O Parantapa (scorcher of the…
Word-by-word→
- karma
- works
- sarvam
- all
- akhilam
- all
- jñāne
- in knowledge
- pārtha
- Arjun, the son of Pritha
- yajñāt
- than the sacrifice
- parantapa
- subduer of enemies, Arjun
- śhreyān
- superior
- dravya-mayāt
- of material possessions
- parisamāpyate
- culminate
- jñāna-yajñaḥ
- sacrifice performed in knowledge
Read this when you feel
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