BG 4.25 — Jñāna-Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga

Bhagavad Gītā 4.25Chapter 4 · Jñāna-Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga · Krishna → Arjuna · anuṣṭubh

दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते ।

ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति ॥

daivam evāpare yajñaṃ yoginaḥ paryupāsate

brahmāgnāv apare yajñaṃ yajñenaivopajuhvati

spokensingle-voice recital; rendered via IndicF5 conditioned on a Sanskrit reference clip

meaning

Some yogins worship the gods through prescribed rites; others, established in Brahman, offer the very act of sacrifice as oblation into that same Brahman-fire.

ekras · bhāṣya

The verse opens the eight-verse taxonomy of yajna-types. "Some yogins worship daiva yajna — the prescribed ritual sacrifice. Others offer the yajna itself into brahma-fire by means of yajna." Two kinds named, with more to follow. The first kind is the ritualist — the practitioner who performs the shastra-prescribed sacrifices to the devas, devotes himself entirely to that form, and treats it as his complete nishtha. The second kind is more advanced. The verse uses ritual vocabulary in a metaphysical register: brahmagnav — into brahma-fire — yajnam — the very yajna itself — yajnena — by means of yajna — upajuhvati — they offer up. The act is reflexive: yajna offered to yajna, by yajna, in yajna. The yogi sees the brahma-content present in every position of the sacrifice, and the offering returns to its own source.

Madhusudana locates the verse in the chapter's rhetorical arc: the brahma-arpana mantra of 4.24 just established samyag-darshana — correct non-dual vision — as itself a form of yajna. The next eight verses will catalogue different yajna-types, each one a way different practitioners arrive at the same destination.

Shridhara reads the catalogue's purpose as glorifying jnana-yajna — the sacrifice of knowledge — above all other forms by contrast. The path widens here. The verse opens space for many kinds of practitioners and many kinds of practice, each appropriate to the adhikari who walks it. The chapter's universalism is structural: many forms, one destination.

Context

where

Chapter 4 · Jñāna-Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga · meter anuṣṭubh

who speaks

Krishna → Arjuna

preceded by — BG 4.24

The oblation is Brahman, the fire is Brahman, the ladle and the one who pours are Brahman; one absorbed in Brahman through action reaches Brahman alone.

What's going on

Some yogins worship the gods through prescribed rites; others, established in Brahman, offer the very act of sacrifice as oblation into that same Brahman-fire.

Sūtras through this verse (51)

ŚrīdharaclassicalB

The Lord descends out of compassionbetween

4.9His acts are willed only to bless others.───→here4.25───→11.1By high compassion He showed the world-form.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalA

Sorrow and delusion are the diseasebetween

2.69Ignorance is night, wisdom alone wakes.───→here4.25───→4.42Cut the heart's doubt with the sword of knowledge.

MadhvaclassicalT1

Hari is supreme — the running reading-rulebetween

4.24Every word for ritual points back to Viṣṇu.───→here4.25───→5.7'Self of all beings' just means the Lord.

show all 51

MadhvaclassicalT12

Closure by gloss — the small repertoirestation

───→here4.25───→

Madhvaclassicalmadhva_pratibimba

Madhva Pratibimbabetween · other

4.14Acts without clinging───→here4.25───→5.14Two tiers of rulership

MadhvaclassicalT3

Ranking is real — and it never collapsesbetween

4.6Avatāras differ in their fullness of Hari.───→here4.25───→6.9Devas, asuras, mortals are three native kinds.

MadhvaclassicalT5

Mirror-and-image — how seeming-action worksbetween

4.14He acts but does not cling to the act.───→here4.25───→5.14The Lord rules the modes; the soul rules the body.

MadhvaclassicalT6

Citation is the spine — texts carry the loadbetween

4.8Ṛgveda khilas explain the descent as play.───→here4.25───→6.6Maitrāyaṇī defines the stilled mind.

MadhvaclassicalT10

The deluder is named — three goddesses, one Lordbetween

4.6Even the unborn descends through the deluder Durgā.───→here4.25───→7.4Eight elements name the inert side of nature.

ŚrīdharaclassicalD

The path that turns no one awaybetween

4.11However they come, I meet them so.───→here4.25───→7.16Four kinds of seekers, all good-hearted.

ŚrīdharaclassicalE

Inner cleansing reconciles work and knowingbetween

3.3One path, two grades: impure, then pure mind.───→here4.25───→4.39Faith earns knowing; work readies that faith.

ŚrīdharaclassicalI

His evenness as ground for refugebetween

4.11I meet each one as that one approaches.───→here4.25───→9.29Even to all — yet near to those who turn.

ŚrīdharaclassicalC

Devotion is both the way and the homeapproach

───→here4.25───→6.47Be a devotee: that is the meaning.

ŚrīdharaclassicalJ

Insight given as a gift, not earned aloneapproach

───→here4.25───→4.34Knowers will pass it to you by teaching.

ŚrīdharaclassicalL

Chapter prefaces as the bhāṣya's spineapproach

───→here4.25───→5.1Settling the doubt: renounce or work?

ŚaṅkaraclassicalE

Ignorance is the only enemybetween

4.18See not-doing in doing, doing in not-doing.───→here4.25───→5.13Body-self confusion is the only error.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalF

The Lord is born only as it werebetween

4.9My birth and acts are not of this world.───→here4.25───→7.14Divine illusion is hard to cross alone.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalG

After knowing, act only to hold the worldbetween

4.18The post-knowledge actor does no action at all.───→here4.25───→5.8I do nothing at all, says the knower.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalJ

Scripture stands behind every claimbetween

4.13The four orders are the Puruṣa's own body.───→here4.25───→15.1The world-tree is the tree of the Kaṭha.

RamsukhdasclassicalA

What binds you (and how to let go)between

4.23Clinging to anything is what binds you.───→here4.25───→5.12Drop the wish for fruit, not the fruit itself.

RamsukhdasclassicalE

Your own work as worshipbetween

4.13The four orders are His own creation.───→here4.25───→18.41Each order's work is born of its nature.

RamsukhdasclassicalH

All paths arrive at the same roombetween

4.23Action's flagship verse: it dissolves itself.───→here4.25───→4.36Knowledge ferries you across the ocean.

Ramsukhdasclassical

Sādhaka Sañjīvanī commentary at this versebetween

───→here4.25───→

ŚaṅkaraclassicalH

The Lord is friend of every beingapproach

───→here4.25───→5.29Friend of all beings, the witness of every act.

RamsukhdasclassicalI

The Lord already inside the heartapproach

───→here4.25───→6.30See Me everywhere, I am never lost.

Ekrasmodernkarma_yoga

Karma yoga — the apprentice pathbetween · v2

4.18Action in inaction───→here4.25───→5.6Renunciation needs the path

Ekrasmodernstress

Stress — panic to shelterbetween · v2

4.16Even the wise are confused───→here4.25───→7.14Cross the maya

Gauravmoderninterfaith_cosmology

Interfaith Cosmologybetween

4.11'Ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham.' As they approach me, so I───→here4.25───→7.21'Yo yo yam yam tanum bhaktah shraddhayarchitum ichchhati.' Whatever form the dev

Gauravmodernsanatana_dharma_101

Sanatana Dharma 101between

4.8'Paritranaya sadhunam vinashaya cha dushkritam, dharma-samsthapana-arthaya sambh───→here4.25───→9.27Dharma-as-offering pillar. 'Yat karoshi yad ashnasi yaj juhoshi dadasi yat.' Gau

RāmānujaclassicalD

Karma-yoga as kainkarya (worship)between

4.24Brahman the offering, Brahman the offerer.───→here4.25───→6.1The renouncer is the one who acts for Me.

RāmānujaclassicalG

Māyā is real causal powerbetween

4.6Self-power, not self-illusion.───→here4.25───→7.14Māyā is real wonder, not unreality.

RāmānujaclassicalH

Prapatti / śaraṇāgati — universal upāyabetween

4.11As they approach Me, so do I receive them.───→here4.25───→7.14Surrender alone crosses the māyā.

VallabhaclassicalA

Two paths — rule-bound and grace-onlybetween

4.11Each soul takes the path Krishna assigns to it.───→here4.25───→9.4The Lord pervades all, yet stays untouched.

VallabhaclassicalD

Chapter-opening preludesbetween

4.1Four-verse prelude names avatāra-līlā.───→here4.25───→5.1Single-verse prelude sets sannyāsa-yoga eka.

VallabhaclassicalG

The Lord plays — calf-affection, not contractbetween

4.8A mother chastising her child is no cruelty.───→here4.25───→7.1The play-Person of every form opens chapter 7.

Ekrasmodernmeditation

Meditation — the dhyāna tourapproach · v2

───→here4.25───→6.10Solitary seat

Gauravmodernchaplaincy_kit_of_tools

Chaplaincy Kit Of Toolsapproach

───→here4.25───→4.34Paramparā / direct transmission. 'Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprashnena sevaya, u

RāmānujaclassicalC

Three ṣaṭkas (1–6 / 7–12 / 13–18)approach

───→here4.25───→5.1A four-clause summary of all of 2 through 4.

VallabhaclassicalK

Aphorism, gloss, full commentaryapproach

───→here4.25───→6.47Six chapters of aphorism close at this verse.

Ekrasmodernfamily_conflict

Family Conflictexit · other

2.8No grief-remover I see───→here4.25───→

Gauravmoderneminem_dsm_arjuna

Eminem Dsm Arjunaexit

2.11'Ashochyan anvashochas tvam prajna-vadamsh cha bhashase.' You grieve those not t───→here4.25───→

JayatīrthaclassicalD

Saṅgati declared at the head of every adhyāyabetween

4.1Three blocks named at the chapter head.───→here4.25───→6.1Karma-yoga is outer; samādhi-yoga inner.

JayatīrthaclassicalE

Vishnu-sarvottamatva read into apparently neutral wordsbetween

4.11Mām is Viṣṇu, not generic absolute.───→here4.25───→7.5Higher prakṛti is Śrī, not the eight-fold.

JayatīrthaclassicalF

Bhakti-tāratamya: gradation among devotees, gradation in fruitbetween

4.11Fruit proportional to the service offered.───→here4.25───→7.21Other deities give what Viṣṇu permits.

ĀnandagiriclassicalF

Which karma? — fourfold typologybetween

4.18Action-in-inaction needs the typology.───→here4.25───→5.1Body-residue karma vs. fruit-bearing karma.

ĀnandagiriclassicalH

Phala-saṃkalpa is the only upādhibetween

4.18Action-in-inaction: the upādhi seen. Anchor.───→here4.25───→5.13All actions renounced by mind alone.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalB

Recognition, not additionbetween

4.14Recognize, do not learn — the verb shifts.───→here4.25───→7.24Failure of seeing, not absence of presence.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalD

Avatāra: appearance without departurebetween

4.13Four orders made by the one who stays equal.───→here4.25───→9.4He pervades, yet is not in any of it.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalD

Adhikāra — eligibility as architecture, not exceptionbetween

4.11'Yathā' is open; the verb is the gate.───→here4.25───→9.22Yoga-kṣemam: the Lord's work, not the seeker's caste.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalG

Three yogas — three angles on one configurationbetween

3.30Karma offered to the indweller becomes worship.───→here4.25───→4.33Knowledge-rite outranks mere material rites.

MadhusūdanaclassicalG

Knowing and acting cannot run togetherbetween

3.1The grand architecture cannot mix the two.───→here4.25───→4.34Approach a knower; knowing is not earned by action.

Śabda · lemmas (9 unique · 13 occurrences)

अपरे apara ×2 — other, later; lower, secondary · nominative masculine plural noun
पर्युपासते √paryupās — to attend upon, worship (pari- + upa- + √ās 'sit') · present indicative 3rd person plural verb · also at 9.22, 12.1, 12.3, 12.4, 12.20
यज्ञम्·यज्ञेन yajña ×3 — sacrifice, worship, ritual offering · accusative masculine singular noun / instrumental masculine singular noun
ब्रह्म brahman — Brahman (the Absolute); also: the Veda; sacred utterance · compound · also at 1.1, 2.72, 3.14, 3.15, 4.21, 4.24 +40
योगिनः yogin — yogi (yoga + -in 'possessor of') · nominative masculine plural noun · also at 1.1, 5.11, 8.14, 8.23
दैवम् daiva — divine; fate, destiny · accusative masculine singular noun

show all 9

एव eva ×2 — indeed, truly, only (emphatic particle)
अग्नौ agni — fire; the fire-god Agni · locative masculine singular noun
उपजुह्वति upa-√hu — (upa- + hu: to offer oblation) · present indicative 3rd person plural verb

Praśna · so what (7)

01If Śaṅkara is right that daiva-yajña is a lower station useful only for purification, what prevents a practitioner from bypassing ritual entirely — and what does his invocation of the Upaniṣads here tell us about why he does not?
02Rāmānuja reads both groups as genuine karma-yogins equally moving toward bhakti-yoga; Śaṅkara ranks them vertically. What is at stake doctrinally in that difference, and which reading is more faithful to the grammar of 'apare … apare'?

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03Madhva insists yajñena yajñam means Viṣṇu offered to Viṣṇu, citing specific Ṛgvedic and Yajurvedic mantras. Does his śruti-grounding make this interpretation more or less textually defensible than the non-dual reading?
04Vallabha uses the term 'pravilāpayanti' (cause to dissolve) rather than 'merge' or 'realize.' What does that active-causal framing imply about the practitioner's agency within a prasāda (grace) framework where Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate actor?
05Śrīdhara's reading treats the eight-verse block as an inductive argument for jñāna-yajña's supremacy. Is this a strong rhetorical structure — does enumerating inferior yajñas actually establish jñāna-yajña's superiority, or does it merely contextualize it?
06Madhusūdana's gloss that 'eva' excludes both pure difference and pure identity is a pivot of his Advaita-bhakti synthesis. How does this grammatical move allow him to hold Kṛṣṇa-bhakti and Śaṅkara-jñāna together without collapsing either?
07All six commentators agree that brahman functions as the fire (agni) in the second half of the verse. Does this agreement across Advaita, Viśiṣṭādvaita, Dvaita, and Śuddhādvaita point toward a shared grammatical constraint of the mūla, or a deeper shared assumption about what fire-sacrifice means?

Vyavahāra · try it in your life

Advaita

When you catch yourself performing a task purely out of habit or social expectation — filing a report, attending a meeting, executing a routine — pause and ask: who is the one performing this? If the answer is a bundle of roles and résumé-items (the sopādhika self), the Advaita instruction is not to stop the action but to see through the bundle to the awareness in which it appears. The action continues; the identification with the doer dissolves. This is the brahma-agni oblation in the office.

Viśiṣṭādvaita

Rāmānuja's reading authorizes radical ordinariness: if you are a karma-yogin, your steadfast commitment to the work itself — cooking the meal, writing the code, caring for the patient — without grasping for its fruit is already a form of service to Bhagavān. You do not need to upgrade your practice; you need to deepen your nisthā (steadiness) within the practice you already have. The instruments of your work are themselves the sruk and sruva (ritual ladle and vessel) of a continuous rite.

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Dvaita

Madhva's reading insists that the ultimate receiver of every genuine act of service is Viṣṇu, not an abstraction. In practice this means that when you dedicate work — professionally, creatively, domestically — the dedication is not a metaphor but a real transfer of agency. You are not the enjoyer of the result; Hari is. This removes both pride in success and despair in failure, because neither outcome belongs to the jīva (individual soul) who remains permanently distinct from and dependent on Bhagavān.

Śuddhādvaita

Vallabha's 'pravilāpayanti' (dissolution) applied to everyday life means that the Puṣṭi-mārgī practitioner does not try to improve actions by adding devotion to them — rather, every action is already Kṛṣṇa's energy moving through a vessel. The practical instruction is surrender of the improvement-project itself: stop trying to make your cooking or your work 'more spiritual.' Receive the capacity to act as prasāda (grace-gift) and let it flow back into Kṛṣṇa without editing it.

Bhakti

Śrīdhara's śraddhā-emphasis means that the karma-yogin who worships with genuine faith in the Vedic rites is not on a wrong path — the path is valid and will eventually yield jñāna as its fruit. For a practitioner embedded in a tradition of daily pūjā (worship) or community ritual, this is a stabilizing teaching: do not abandon the form because you have not yet seen through it to Brahman. The seeing will come; the form is its vehicle, not its obstacle.

Advaita-Bhakti

Madhusūdana's synthesis of jñāna and bhakti suggests a two-register practice for daily life: maintain the analytic thread (who is acting, what is Brahman, what is the pratyag-ātman here?) alongside the devotional thread (this action is offered to Kṛṣṇa). Neither thread cancels the other. When the analysis threatens to become cold abstraction, bhakti warms it; when devotion threatens to become sentimental identification, jñāna clears it. The 'eva' that excludes both pure difference and pure identity is the practical needle-eye between dryness and dissolution.

Adhiṣṭhāna · substrate signature

substratev2.6-frozen

parserByT5-Sanskrit-multitask (Nehrdich/Hellwig/Keutzer EMNLP 2024)

mūlaBelvalkar critical edition (BORI 1947), via Ambuda multi-witness

show all metadata

weightsa=1 · b=0.01 · e_v=0.005 · z=0.2 · h=0 · th=0.01

anchorfit on Ramsukhdas's Sādhak Sañjīvanī (1980), frozen across the eight-commentator panel; cross-validated R@4 = 71.6% on Śaṅkara

extracted2026-04-21

methodPaper 1, Section II.B

↓ view raw per-verse object (JSON)↗ per-verse-object schema ↗ substrate code (MIT) + data (CC-BY 4.0)

The schema generalizes to any bounded-polysemy corpus with discrete primary text units, attested witness traditions, identifiable schools, and formal substrate. Port the per-verse object; refit weights on a domain-appropriate Layer-3 anchor; ship.

Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 4, Verse 25: Krishna to Arjuna — Jñāna-Karma-Sannyāsa-Yoga