Speaker: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे ।
कर्मजान्विद्धि तान्सर्वानेवं ज्ञात्वा विमोक्ष्यसे ॥३२॥
evaṁ bahu-vidhā yajñā
vitatā brahmaṇo mukhe
karma-jān viddhi tān sarvān
evaṁ jñātvā vimokṣyase
Word for word (synonyms)
- evam
- thus
- bahu-vidhāḥ
- various kinds of
- yajñāḥ
- sacrifices
- vitatāḥ
- widespread
- brahmaṇaḥ
- of the *Vedas*
- mukhe
- in the face of
- karma-jān
- born of work
- viddhi
- you should know
- tān
- them
- sarvān
- all
- evam
- thus
- jñātvā
- knowing
- vimokṣyase
- be liberated
Translation
All these different types of sacrifice are approved by the Vedas, and all of them are born of different types of work. Knowing them as such, you will become liberated.
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
Different types of sacrifice, as discussed above, are mentioned in the Vedas to suit the different types of worker. Because men are so deeply absorbed in the bodily concept, these sacrifices are so arranged that one can work either with the body, the mind, or the intelligence. But all of them are recommended for ultimately bringing about liberation from the body. This is confirmed by the Lord herewith from His own mouth.
What this verse teaches
Purpose of sacrifices — development of jñāna, destruction of sins and attaining spiritual realm.
Śrīla Prabhupāda lectures 1
- Bhagavad-gītā 4.24–34 1966-08-10 · New York
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.