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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 4.25
दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते ।
ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति ॥ २५ ॥
daivam evāpare yajñaṁ
yoginaḥ paryupāsate
brahmāgnāv apare yajñaṁ
yajñenaivopajuhvati
Some yogīs perfectly worship the demigods by offering different sacrifices to them, and some offer sacrifices in the fire of the Supreme Brahman.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
Some yogīs offer sacrifices to worship demigods; others offer sacrifices in the fire of the Supreme Brahman.
Prabhupāda explains that sacrifice truly means satisfying the Supreme Lord. One who offers everything to Kṛṣṇa is a first-class yogī and remains an individual.
Offer your possessions and yourself for Kṛṣṇa’s satisfaction, rather than for temporary material happiness.
These notes cover verses 4.25–29
Varieties of sacrifices which lead to transcendental knowledge, are explained:
Demigod worship (4.25)
Sacrifices into Brahman (4.25)
Hearing process and senses in the fire of mental control — The unadulterated brahmacaris (4.26)
Objects of senses in the fire of the senses — Regulated grhastas (4.26)
Astanga-yoga
‘Patanjali’ yoga system (4.27)
Offers the function of all the senses and of the life breath, as oblations into the fire of the controlled mind
Goal: Merging into existence of Absolute
Charity — Dravyamaya-yajna (study examples) (4.28)
Charitable institutions, old-age homes etc.
Austerity — Tapomaya-yajna (e.g. Caturmasya and Chandrayana) (4.28)
Yoga-yajna — Sacrifice for a certain perfection in material world (4.28)
E.g. Patanjali system – For merging into the existence into the Absolute
Hatha-yoga or Astanga-yoga – For particular perfections
Holy pilgrimage
Study of scriptures — Svadhyaya yajna – Upanisads and Vedanta Sutras, or the Sankhya philosophy (4.28)
Hatha-yoga and Pranayama (4.29)
Who is perfect yogi or a first class mystic — a person engaged in discharging duties in Krishna consciousness
Varieties differ superficially, but one factual aim
Different categories of sacrifices by different types of performers only superficially demark the varieties
One factual aim of all sacrifices is to satisfy the Supreme Lord, Vishnu who is also known as yajna
Two primary divisions to classify sacrifices
Sacrifice of worldly possessions
Sacrifice in pursuit of transcendental knowledge
Comparison of sacrifices performed by different worshippers –
Krishna conscious devotee: sacrifices all material possessions and own self for Krishna’s satisfaction
e.g. Arjuna sacrifices everything for satisfaction of Krishna
Thus Arjuna is a first class yogi, without losing his individual existence
Demigod worshipper: Sacrifice material possessions for material enjoyment
They worship demigods for various material benefits and are called ‘Bahu-isvara-vadi’ (believers in many Gods)
Impersonalist: Sacrifices own self into fire altar of “Supreme Brahman”
They regard the forms of demigods as temporary
They sacrifice their material designations and end their individual existence by merging into the existence of the Supreme
Sacrifice their time in philosophical speculation FOCUS OF LEARNING: PURPORT 4.26
What all the varnas meant to achieve?
They are all meant to become perfect yogis or transcendentalists
Brahmacaris
What does he hear – Only words concerning Krishna consciousness; especially engaged fully in “harer namanukirtanam” (Chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord)
What he does not hear – Restrains himself from vibrations of material sounds
How does he controls the mind – Stays under the care of a bona-fide spiritual master and abstains from sense gratification
How a pure brahmacari engages fully – ‘harer namanukirtanam’
“Basic principle of understanding” – Hearing is the basic principle for understanding
Grhastas — Restricted unattached sex life (under marriage) is a kind of ‘yajna’ – how?
It is a Yajna because the restricted householder sacrifices his general tendency towards sense gratification for higher, transcendental life FOCUS OF LEARNING: PURPORT 4.27
What is ‘parag-atma’ and ‘pratyag-atma’
‘Parag-atma’ – the soul attached to sense enjoyment
‘Pratyag-atma’ – the soul unattached to sense enjoyment
What is the principle and goal of this yoga system
Principle – The soul is subjected to the functions of ten kinds of air at work within the body and this is perceived through the breathing system
Patanjali system instructs one how to control the functions of the body’s air in a technical manner so that ultimately all the functions become favorable for purifying the soul of material attachment
Goal – Pratyag-atma
Different functions of the airs
‘Prana-vayu’ – Interaction of senses with sense objects and their engagements in activities outside the self
‘Apana-vayu’ – Goes downwards
‘Vyana-vayu’ – Acts to shrink and expand
‘Samana-vaya’ – Adjusts equilibrium
‘Udana-vayu’ – Goes upwards
Status of enlightenment – One engages all these airs in searching for self-realisation FOCUS OF LEARNING: PURPORT 4.29
Pranayama is the system of yoga for controlling the breathing process
In the beginning it is practiced in the hatha-yoga system through different sitting postures
Goal of ‘hatha-yoga’ and ‘pranayama’
To control senses
To increase longevity – Intelligent yogi wants to achieve spiritual perfection in one life only; therefore needs increased life span for perfection in spiritual realisation
To help in spiritual advancement
Practicing pranayama — This practice involves controlling the airs within the body so as to reverse the directions of their passage (Study purport for details of the air currents)
Conclusion 4.25 — 4.29: Krishna consciousness is transcendental to all types of sacrifice – Why?
Because it is direct service to the Lord (4.28)
Automatically controls all the senses and one is transcendental from the very beginning (4.29)
e.g. Controlling senses is done by honoring Krishna prasadam
All the senses are thoroughly engaged and naturally transferred at the end of life to Krishna’s planet – therefore no need to increase longevity (4.29)
Ref. Bg. 14.26 By Devotional Service, one immediately transcends the modes and elevates to Spiritual Kingdom (4.29)
It is attained only by mercy of the Lord and devotees (4.28)
Krishna consciousness cannot be attained by any of the above mentioned methods in
Fruit of all kinds of Vedic sacrifices is ‘transcendental knowledge’
This leads to liberation and ultimately to pure devotional service
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: karma, sva-dharma.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 4.25 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to duty & action?
Do one task today purely because it is right.
Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.