4. Philosophy of Action

Jñāna Karm Sanyās Yog

BG 4.28

With self-control and firm resolve, others sacrifice their material wealth and perform austerities. Some ascetics take rigid vows, offering the study of scriptures and knowledge as sacrifice.

द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे
स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः

  • dravya-yajñās — offering wealth as sacrifice

    • dravya

    • yajñās

  • tapo-yajñā — offering austerity as sacrifice

    • tapo

    • yajñā

  • yoga-yajñās — performing righteous action as sacrifice

    • yoga

    • yajñās

  • tathāpare — thus others

    • tathā — thus

    • apare — others

  • swādhyāya-jñāna-yajñāśh — cultivate spiritual and scriptural knowledge as a sacrifice
    swādhyāya—cultivating knowledge by studying the scriptures; jñāna-yajñāḥ—those offer cultivation of transcendental knowledge as sacrifice

    • swādhyāya

    • jñāna

    • yajñāśh

  • cha — also

  • yatayaḥ — these ascetics

  • sanśhita-vratāḥ — observing strict vows

    • sanśhita

    • vratāḥ

...4.24

Some sages perform sacrifice to the gods alone, while others offer themselves as sacrifice on the eternal altar.

[25]

Some sacrifice their physical senses in the fire of self-control, while others sacrifice contact with external objects in the sacrificial fire of their senses.

[26]

Others, kindled by wisdom, sacrifice their activities and their breathing into the fire of self-restraint.

[27]

With self-control and firm resolve, others sacrifice their material wealth and perform austerities. Some ascetics take rigid vows, offering the study of scriptures and knowledge as sacrifice.

[28]

Others, with a controlled diet, are devoted to the control of breathing. One may sacrifice inhalation to exhalation, or sacrifice the outward breath to an inward one, or sacrifice all of their incoming and outgoing breathing.

[29]

Others regulate their diet and subsist on what remains after sacrifice. All such people, who understand the principle of sacrifice, have their sins washed away.

[30]

They partake in the sacred nectar which remains after a sacrifice, and reach the eternal Brahma. This world is not for those who refuse to sacrifice. How can the heavens be any different?

[31]

4.32...
Chapter 4, Verse 28