Fourth Chapter Continued

Bhagavad-Gita Fourth Chapter

The Meaning of Knowledge:

The Yoga of Wisdom

by Michael Dolan/B.V. Mahayogi

In the Fourth Chapter, Kṛṣṇa insists on the importance of wisdom, of seeing things in the proper perspective. Arjuna wants to know how to act; but action must be based on a proper ontological understanding. Sacrifice is not mere ritual. It has a deeper purpose--to connect us spiritually with a higher spiritual reality. Mindless rituals, where offerings are made to gods, lack foundation in spiritual understanding. True sacrifice must involve knowledge that we are all spiritual entities subordinate to a Supreme Spiritual Entity. Sacrifice done with this in mind will begin to touch the true spiritual essence of reality.

Kṛṣṇa explains that every aspect of sacrifice is spiritual. The ladle used to offer butter into the fire is composed of consciousness, (brahman). brahmārpaṇaṃ brahma havir brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam brahmaiva tena gantavyaṃ brahmakarmasamādhinā 4.24 The fire itself is made of consciousness. What is offered into the fire is consciousness. Sacrifice means offering spirit into spirit, consciousness into consciousness. But this must be done with faith, for what is truly offered is our own souls and spirit to the divine spirit in surrender. Without surrender, sacrifice is meaningless. As Śrīls Prabhupāda puts it, “A person who is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is sure to attain the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution in spiritual activities, in hich the consummation is absolute and that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature.” Everything that exists is conscious, but only when consciousness consciously offers itself to the Supreme Consciousness can full realization take place.

Reality in the end is conscious.

Kṛṣṇa continues his explanation of the different gradations in sacrifice by pointing out that “some yogis worship the gods, offering sacrifices in the spiritual fire. Others sacrifice their hearing and senses in the fire of the controlled mind. Still others sacrifice their body and possessions in austerities and mortify the flesh. They take strict vows and practice mystic yoga. Others study the Vedas to advance in knowledge. Some practice pranayama and enter into trance. All these are different forms of sacrifice which may lead one to liberation in eternal life. Therefore it is understood that sacrifice is the basis of spiritual enlightenment. No one can life happily in this life or the next without some form of sacrifice. But there is a distinct gradation between the different forms of sacrifice. Sacrifice in wisdom is a more developed understanding than simply giving up material possessions. The sacrifice of karma as we have explained it is good. Enlightened sacrifice is higher. After all, karmic sacrifice will eventually lead to enlightened sacrifice or dedication.”

ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर् ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ४.२४ दैवम् एवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते ब्रह्माग्नाव् अपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुव्हति ४.२५ श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्य् अन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुव्हति शब्दादीन् विषयान् अन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुव्हति ४.२६ सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुव्हति ज्ञानदीपिते ४.२७ द्रव्ययज्ञास् तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास् तथापरे स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश् च यतयः संशितव्रताः ४.२८ अपाने जुव्हति प्राणं प्राणेपानं तथापरे प्राणापानगती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायामपरायणाः ४.२९ अपरे नियताहाराः प्राणान् प्राणेषु जुव्हति सर्वेप्य् एते यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषाः ४.३० यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम् नायं लोकोस्त्य् अयज्ञस्य कुतोन्यः कुरुसत्तम ४.३१ एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे कर्मजान् विद्धि तान् सर्वान् एवं ज्ञात्वा विमोक्ष्यसे ४.३२ श्रेयान् द्रव्यमयाद् यज्ञाज् ज्ञानयज्ञः परंतप सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते ४.३४

brahmārpaṇaṃ brahma havir brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam brahmaiva tena gantavyaṃ brahmakarmasamādhinā 4.24 daivam evāpare yajñaṃ yoginaḥ paryupāsate brahmāgnāv apare yajñaṃ yajñenaivopajuvhati 4.25 śrotrādīnīndriyāṇy anye saṃyamāgniṣu juvhati śabdādīn viṣayān anya indriyāgniṣu juvhati 4.26 sarvāṇīndriyakarmāṇi prāṇakarmāṇi cāpare ātmasaṃyamayogāgnau juvhati jñānadīpite 4.27 dravyayajñās tapoyajñā yogayajñās tathāpare svādhyāyajñānayajñāś ca yatayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ 4.28 apāne juvhati prāṇaṃ prāṇepānaṃ tathāpare prāṇāpānagatī ruddhvā prāṇāyāmaparāyaṇāḥ 4.29 apare niyatāhārāḥ prāṇān prāṇeṣu juvhati sarvepy ete yajñavido yajñakṣapitakalmaṣāḥ 4.30 yajñaśiṣṭāmṛtabhujo yānti brahma sanātanam nāyaṃ lokosty ayajñasya kutonyaḥ kurusattama 4.31 evaṃ bahuvidhā yajñā vitatā brahmaṇo mukhe karmajān viddhi tān sarvān evaṃ jñātvā vimokṣyase 4.32 śreyān dravyamayād yajñāj jñānayajñaḥ paraṃtapa sarvaṃ karmākhilaṃ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate 4.33