BHAGAVAD-GITA 4:33

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 4:33

 

sreyan dravya-mayad yajnaj

jnana-yajnah parantapa

sarvam karmakhilam partha

jnane parisamapyate

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

sreyan--greater; dravya-mayat--of material possessions; yajnat--than

the sacrifice; jnana-yajnah--sacrifice in knowledge; parantapa--O

chastiser of the enemy; sarvam--all; karma--activities; akhilam--in

totality; partha--O son of Prtha; jnane--in knowledge;

parisamapyate--end.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O chastiser of the enemy, the sacrifice performed in knowledge is

better than the mere sacrifice of material possessions. After all, O

son of Prtha, all sacrifices of work culminate in transcendental

knowledge.

 

PURPORT

 

The purpose of all sacrifices is to arrive at the status of complete

knowledge, then to gain release from material miseries, and,

ultimately, to engage in loving transcendental service to the Supreme

Lord (Krsna consciousness). Nonetheless, there is a mystery about all

these different activities of sacrifice, and one should know this

mystery. Sacrifices sometimes take different forms according to the

particular faith of the performer. When one's faith reaches the stage

of transcendental knowledge, the performer of sacrifices should be

considered more advanced than those who simply sacrifice material

possessions without such knowledge, for without attainment of

knowledge, sacrifices remain on the material platform and bestow no

spiritual benefit. Real knowledge culminates in Krsna consciousness,

the highest stage of transcendental knowledge. Without the elevation

of knowledge, sacrifices are simply material activities. When,

however, they are elevated to the level of transcendental knowledge,

all such activities enter onto the spiritual platform. Depending on

differences in consciousness, sacrificial activities are sometimes

called karma-kanda

(fruitive activities) and sometimes jnana-kanda (knowledge in the pursuit of

truth). It is better when the end is knowledge.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.