Bhagavad-gītā 4.27

Explain simply

Speaker: Śrī Kṛṣṇa

सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे ।
आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते ॥२७॥

sarvāṇīndriya-karmāṇi
prāṇa-karmāṇi cāpare
ātma-saṁyama-yogāgnau
juhvati jñāna-dīpite

Word for word (synonyms)

sarvāṇi
all
indriya
senses
karmāṇi
functions
prāṇa-karmāṇi
functions of the life breath
ca
also
apare
others
ātma-saṁyama
controlling the mind
yoga
linking process
agnau
in the fire of
juhvati
offers
jñāna-dīpite
because of the urge for self-realization

Translation

Those who are interested in self-realization, in terms of mind and sense control, offer the functions of all the senses, as well as the vital force [breath], as oblations into the fire of the controlled mind.

Purport

The yoga system conceived by Patañjali is referred to herein. In the Yoga-sūtra of Patañjali, the soul is called pratyag-ātmā and parag-ātmā. As long as the soul is attached to sense enjoyment, it is called parag-ātmā. 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. The Pātañjala system of yoga instructs one on how to control the functions of the body's air in a technical manner so that ultimately all the functions of the air within become favorable for purifying the soul of material attachment. According to this yoga system, pratyag ātmā is the ultimate goal. This pratyag ātmā is a withdrawal from activities in matter. The senses interact with the sense objects, like the ear for hearing, eyes for seeing, nose for smelling, tongue for tasting, hand for touching, and all of them are thus engaged in activities outside the self. They are called the functions of the prāṇa-vāyu. The apāna-vāyu goes downwards, vyāna-vāyu acts to shrink and expand, samāna-vāyu adjusts equilibrium, udāna-vāyu goes upwards—and when one is enlightened, one engages all these in searching for self-realization.

What this verse teaches

Different types of sacrifices — demigod worship, Brahman worship, sense enjoyment, self control and so on

Śrīla Prabhupāda lectures 3

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.