BHAGAVAD-GITA 4:28

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 4:28

 

dravya-yajnas tapo-yajna

yoga-yajnas tathapare

svadhyaya-jnana-yajnas ca

yatayah samsita-vratah

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

dravya-yajnah--sacrificing one's possessions; tapah-yajnah--sacrifice

in austerities; yoga-yajnah--sacrifice in eightfold mysticism;

tatha--thus; apare--others; svadhyaya--sacrifice in the study of the

Vedas; jnana-yajnah--sacrifice in advancement of transcendental

knowledge; ca--also; yatayah--enlightened persons;

samsita-vratah--taken to strict vows.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Having accepted strict vows, some become enlightened by sacrificing

their possessions, and others by performing severe austerities, by

practicing the yoga of eightfold mysticism, or by studying the Vedas

to advance in transcendental knowledge.

 

PURPORT

 

These sacrifices may be fitted into various divisions. There are

persons who are sacrificing their possessions in the form of various

kinds of charities. In India, the rich mercantile community or

princely orders open various kinds of charitable institutions like

dharma-sala, anna-ksetra, atithi-sala, anathalaya and vidya-pitha. In

other countries, too, there are many hospitals, old age homes and

similar charitable foundations meant for distributing food, education

and medical treatment free to the poor. All these charitable

activities are called dravyamaya-yajna. There are others who, for

higher elevation in life or for promotion to higher planets within the

universe, voluntarily accept many kinds of austerities such as

candrayana and caturmasya. These processes entail severe vows for

conducting life under certain rigid rules. For example, under the

caturmasya vow the candidate does not shave for four months during the

year (July to October), he does not eat certain foods, does not eat

twice in a day or does not leave home. Such sacrifice of the comforts

of life is called tapomaya-yajna. There are still others who engage

themselves in different kinds of mystic yogas like the Patanjali

system (for merging into the existence of the Absolute), or hatha-yoga

or astanga-yoga (for particular perfections). And some travel to all

the sanctified places of pilgrimage. All these practices are called

yoga-yajna. sacrifice for a certain type of perfection in the material

world. There are others who engage themselves in the studies of

different Vedic literatures, specifically the Upanisads and

Vedanta-sutras, or the Sankhya philosophy. All of these are called

svadhyaya-yajna. or engagement in the sacrifice of studies. All these

yogis are faithfully engaged in different types of sacrifice and are

seeking a higher status of life. Krsna consciousness, however, is

different from these because it is the direct service of the Supreme

Lord. Krsna consciousness cannot be attained by any one of the

above-mentioned types of sacrifice but can be attained only by the

mercy of the Lord and His bona fide devotees. Therefore, Krsna

consciousness is transcendental.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.