Speaker: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् ।
इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ॥१२॥
abhisandhāya tu phalaṁ
dambhārtham api caiva yat
ijyate bharata-śreṣṭha
taṁ yajñaṁ viddhi rājasam
Word for word (synonyms)
- abhisandhāya
- desiring
- tu
- but
- phalam
- the result
- dambha
- pride
- artham
- material benefits
- api
- also
- ca
- and
- eva
- certainly
- yat
- that which
- ijyate
- worship
- bharata-śreṣṭha
- O chief of the Bhāratas
- tam
- that
- yajñam
- sacrifice
- viddhi
- know
- rājasam
- in the mode of passion
Translation
But that sacrifice performed for some material end or benefit or performed ostentatiously, out of pride, is of the nature of passion, O chief of the Bhāratas.
Defined in the Gītā
Sacrifice
Which sacrifice is the greatest?
O chastiser of the enemy, the sacrifice of knowledge is greater than the sacrifice of material possessions. O son of Pṛthā, after all, the sacrifice of work culminates in transcendental knowledge.
Purport
Sometimes sacrifices and rituals are performed for elevation to the heavenly kingdom or for some material benefits in this world. Such sacrifices or ritualistic performances are considered to be in the mode of passion.
What this verse teaches
The study note for this verse is in editorial review.
- Section
- Sacrifices in three modes
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.