Verse 4.25

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 4.25:

दैवम् एवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते ।
ब्रह्माग्नाव् अपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति ॥ २५ ॥

daivam evāpare yajñaṃ yoginaḥ paryupāsate |
brahmāgnāv apare yajñaṃ yajñenaivopajuhvati || 25 ||

daivam–the demigods; eva–indeed; apare–other; yajñam–sacrifice; yoginaḥ– karma-yogīs; pari-upāsate–perfectly worship; brahma-agnau–in the fire of the Absolute Truth; apare–others (jñāna-yogīs); yajñam–sacrifice; yajñena–through sacrifice; eva–indeed; upajuhvati–make offerings.

Karma-yogīs perfectly worship the demigods in the form of offering ceremonial sacrifices to them, while others, jñāna-yogīs, offer all their activities as oblations through sacrifice into the sacrificial fire of the Absolute Truth.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

Śrī Bhagavān is saying, “There are various types of yajña according to the various desired goals. Now hear of them all.” Śrī Bhagavān speaks eight verses beginning with the present one, daivam eva, to explain these different types of yajña. Yajña in which demigods such as Indra and Varuṇa are worshipped is called daivam. The performers of such yajña do not consider demigods like Indra and others to be brahma. This is being explained here. According to the statement sāsya-devatetyaṇa, the demigods are the only worshipable deities for those who perform deva-yajña, sacrifice to the demigods; brahma is not mentioned here. In this verse, yoginaḥ means karma-yogīs, while apare implies jñāna-yogīs. Brahmāgnau means that brahma, or Paramātmā Himself, is the sacrificial fire. In that sacrificial fire, or the Absolute Truth (tat-padārtha), the oblation of the jīva (tvam-padārtha) is offered by the means (ladle) of chanting the praṇava-mantra, oṃ. This very jñāna-yajña will be glorified later. Here, the words yajñam and yajñena have been used for the object offered (such as ghee) and the instrument of the offering (the ladle) respectively. In other words, it is understood that the pure jīva and praṇava are indicated by a superior understanding of yajña and yajñena, respectively.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura expresses Kṛṣṇa’s mood as follows, “Those who take the vow to perform yajña are called yogīs. There are various types of yajña according to the different aptitudes of the yogīs. In fact, there are as many varieties of yajñas as there are types of yogīs. Based on scientific understanding, all yajñas can be divided into two general divisions: (1) karma-yajña, consisting of sacrificial offerings and (2) jñāna-yajña, sacrifice in the form of deliberation on the spiritual reality, cit-tattva. This will be explained further on.

“Now, please hear as I explain some varieties of yajñas. The karma-yogīs perform their worship through the worship of My authorized representatives such as Indra and Varuṇa who, by My external potency, are gifted with specific powers. By such worship, these karma-yogīs gradually come to the stage of selflessly offering the fruit of their endeavours to Bhagavān (niṣkāma-karma-yoga). The sacrifice of the jñāna-yogīs consists of offering themselves (tvaṃ-padārtha) as the ghee into the fire of the Absolute (tat-padārtha) by reciting the praṇava-mantra, oṃ, or having taken shelter of the great axiom tat-tvaṃ asi–you are His servant. The superiority of this sacrifice in the form of deliberation on spiritual reality will be explained later on.”