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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Verse 28 (4.28)

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Verse 28 (4.28)

द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे । स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः | | ४-२८ | |

dravyayajñāstapoyajñā yogayajñāstathāpare svādhyāyajñānayajñāśhcha yatayaḥ saṁśhitavratāḥ

Word-by-word guide:
Line 1:
  • रय-यज्ञ (dravya-yajnah) — यज्ञ(sacrifice through material gifts)
  • तओ-यज्ञ (tapo-yajnah) — यज्ञ(sacrifice through austerity)
  • ओग-यज्ञ (yoga-yajnah) — योग(sacrifice through Yoga practice)
  • तत् (tad) — वह(that)
  • अपि (api) — भी(also)
  • are joined in yogayajñāstathāpare
Line 2:
  • वयय-ज्ञन-यज्ञ (svadhyaya-jnana-yajnah) — ज्ञान(sacrifice through study and knowledge)
  • (cha) — ज्ञान(sacrifice through study and knowledge)
  • यतयः (yatayah) — संयमी साधक(disciplined seekers)
  • सइत-रत (samshita-vratah) — सइत-रत(firm in vows)

English: And yet others offer as their worship wealth, disciplines and meditation. Monks wedded to their vows renounce their scripture-based learning and even their spiritual powers.

💡 Commentary Note

Yajna can take many practical forms: giving charity (Dravya-yajna), practicing self-restraint (Tapo-yajna), practicing meditation (Yoga-yajna), and studying scripture (Svadhyaya-jnana-yajna). All these disciplines are valid paths to self-purification.

Learnings from Shloka 28:
  • Diverse Paths of Service:: You can offer your resources, your physical discipline, or your intellect as a form of worship.
  • Steady Commitment:: Maintain a disciplined routine in your chosen spiritual practice to ensure steady progress.

Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz

Practice this shloka vocabulary

Match Sanskrit words from shloka 4.28 with their Hindi and English meanings.

Practice vocabulary