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Bhagavad Gita · 4.28 · Path of Knowledge and the Disciplines of Action·28 of 42

द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे।स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः ॥

dravya-yajñās tapo-yajñā yoga-yajñās tathāpare

swādhyāya-jñāna-yajñāśh cha yatayaḥ sanśhita-vratāḥ

Sanskrit recitation

Every act can be sacred · 4.24–4.33 · Teaching

Translation

Others again offer wealth, austerity, and Yoga as sacrifice, while ascetics of self-restraint and rigid vows offer the study of scriptures and knowledge as sacrifice.

Meaning

Some do sacrifice by distributing their wealth to the deserving as charity some offer their Tapas (austerities) as sacrifice some practise the eight limbs of Raja Yoga, viz., Yama (the five great vows), Niyama (the canons of conduct), Asana (posture), Pranayama (restraint of breath), Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (superconscious state), and offer this Yoga as a sacrifice some study the scriptures and offer it as sacrifice.

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.

Word-by-word→
dravya-yajñāḥ
offering one’s own wealth as sacrifice
tapaḥ-yajñāḥ
offering severe austerities as sacrifice
yoga-yajñāḥ
performance of eight-fold path of yogic practices as sacrifice
tathā
thus
apare
others
swādhyāya
cultivating knowledge by studying the scriptures
jñāna-yajñāḥ
those offer cultivation of transcendental knowledge as sacrifice
cha
also
yatayaḥ
these ascetics
sanśhita-vratāḥ
observing strict vows

Related verses

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