Chapter 4 · Verse 28

Path of Knowledge and the Disciplines of Action

द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे। स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः

dravya-yajñās tapo-yajñā yoga-yajñās tathāpare swādhyāya-jñāna-yajñāśh cha yatayaḥ sanśhita-vratāḥ

Word Meanings

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

Language:

Translation

Some offer their wealth as sacrifice, some offer austerity, and some offer yoga as sacrifice; while other ascetics of strict vows offer study of scriptures and knowledge as their sacrifice.

Commentary

द्रव्ययज्ञाः those who offer wealth as sacrifice? तपोयज्ञाः those who offer austerity as sacrifice? योगयज्ञाः those who offer Yoga as sacrifice? तथा thus? अपरे others? स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाः those who offer study and knowledge as sacrifice? च and? यतयः ascetics or anchorites (persons of selfrestraint)? संशितव्रताः persons of rigid vows.Commentary 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.