Shloka

दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते |
ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति ||४-२५||

Transliteration

daivamevāpare yajñaṃ yoginaḥ paryupāsate .
brahmāgnāvapare yajñaṃ yajñenaivopajuhvati ||4-25||

Translations

Dr.S.Sankaranarayan

4.25. Certain other men of Yoga are completely devoted to yajna, connected with the devas and offer that yajna, simply as a yajna, into the insatiable fire of the Brahman.

Shri Purohit Swami

4.25 Some sages sacrifice to the Powers; others offer themselves on the alter of the Eternal.

Sri Abhinav Gupta

4.25 Daivam etc. the Devas are the sense-organs that are playful. The yajna that stands based on them is nothing but the act of receiving objects of their own. Certain persons are thoroughly devoted only to that yajna, i.e., they gain the gain of their own Self by examining this (yajna) from its root . That is why they are men of Yoga; for, they are absorbed in the Yoga permanently at all stages. Indeed in Yogin the suffix ini, a synonym of matup, here signifies ‘perpetual connection’. Further, they (Yogins) pour, as an offering, the self-same yajna, above defined, into the Brhaman-fire that is insatiable i.e. that cannot be satisfied. Thus [the verse] has been interpreted by some.

However, the Sage (the author of the Gita) does not violate the context. Hence, that meaning which exists in his heart we shall show : Certain masters of Yoga perform godly sacrifice i.e., sacrifice, consisting of external objects, and intending only deities like Indra etc., of varied forms. Further, with a single conviction that ‘It is a Yajna and a thing to be performed’, i.e., with no craving for fruit, they offer the same sacrifice, that is being performed, into the Brahman - fire which is insatiable i.e., difficult to satisfy. Thus even those, who perform sacrificial rites with material objects, attain the Supreme Brahman. For, it is going to be declared in the seel : ‘All these persons too have understood sacrifice’ (IV, 30 below). The Vedic text also [says] :

  'The gods offered sacrifice  [just] as sacrifice'.  (RV, I, 164, 50; TS, III, v, II, 5; etc.)

Sri Ramanuja

4.25 Some Karma Yogins resort to the sacrifice relating to gods, i.e., the sacrifice which takes the form of worshipping gods. The meaning is that they have steadfast devotion only in this. ‘Others offer sacrifice into the fire of Brahman solely by means of sacrifice.’ Here the term, ‘sacrifice’ is used in the sense of the oblation, the ladle etc., reired for performing a sacrifice and therefore they are said to constitute ‘sacrificing.’ These are of the nature of Brahman. ‘Offer by means of sacrifice’ indicates the ladle and other implements for the accomplishment of sacrifice.

Sri Shankaracharya

4.25 Apare, other; yoginah, yogis, ritualists; pari-upasate, undertake; yajnam, sacrifice; daivam, to gods; eva, alone. A sacrifice by which the gods are adored is daiva-yajna; they perform only that. This is the meaning. Brahma-agnau, in the fire of Brahman: By the word brahman is meant That which is referred to in such sentences as, ‘Brahman is Truth, knowledge and infinite’ (Tai. 2.1), ‘Knowledge, Bliss, Brahman’ (Br. 3.9.28), ’the Brahman that is immediate and direct-the self that is within all’ (Br.3.4.1), which is devoid of all worldly characteristiscs like hunger etc. and which is beyond all particular alifications-as stated in, ‘Not this, not this’ (Br.4.4.22). That which is Brahman is the fire. [Brahman is called fire because, as reflected in wisdom, It burns away everything, i.e. ignorance, or because everything merges into It during dissolution (pralaya).] And it is spoken of as Brahmagni with a view to referring to It as that into which the offering is made. In that fire of Brahman, apare, others, other knowers of Brahman; upa-juhvati, offer; yajnam, the Self, which is referred to by the word yajna (sacrifice), it, having, been presented as a synonym of the Self;-that Self, which is a sacrifice, which is reality is verily the supreme Brahman, which is associated with such limiting adjuncts as the intellect etc., which is associated with all the alities of the limiting adjuncts superimposed on it, and which is the oblation, (they offer) yajnena, by the Self itself as described above. The offering (of the Self) in that (Brahman) is nothing but the realization of that Self which is assoicated with the limiting adjuncts to be the supreme Brahman which is free from adjuncts. The monks, steadfast in the realization of the identity of Brahman and the Self, make that offering. This is the meaning. Beginning with, ‘The ladle is Brahman’ etc., this sacrifice characterized as full realization is being included among such sacrifices as daiva-yajna etc. with a view to eulogizing it in the verses beginning with, ‘O destroyer of enemies, jnana-yajna is greater than the sacrifices involving (sacrificial) materials’.

Swami Adidevananda

4.25 Some Yogins resort only to the sacrifice relating to gods. Others offer sacrifice into the fire of Brahman solely by means of sacrifice.

Swami Gambirananda

4.25 Other yogis undertake sacrifice to gods alone, Others offer the Self, as a sacrifice by the Self itself, in the fire of Brahman.

Swami Sivananda

4.25 Some Yogies perform sacrifice to the gods alone; while others (who have realised the Self) offer the self as sacrifice by the Self in the fire of Brahman alone.

Commentaries

Swami Sivananda

4.25 दैवम् pertaining to Devas? एव only? अपरे some? यज्ञम् sacrifice? योगिनः Yogis? पर्युपासते perform? ब्रह्माग्नौ in the fire of Brahman? अपरे others? यज्ञम् sacrifice? यज्ञेन by sacrifice? एव verily? उपजुह्वति offer as sacrifice.Commentary Some Yogis who are devoted to Karma Yoga perform sacrificial rites to the shining ones or Devas (gods). The second Yajna is JnanaYajna or the wisdom sacrifice performed by those who are devoted to Jnana Yoga. The oblation in this sacrifice is the Self. Yajna here means the Self. The Upadhis or the limiting adjuncts such as the physical body? the mind? the intellect? etc.? which are superimposed on Brahman through ignorance are sublated and the identity of the individual soul with the Supreme Soul or Brahman is realised. To sacrifice the self in Brahman is to know through direct cognition (Aparoksha Anubhuti) that the individual soul is identical with Brahman. This is the highest Yajna. Those who are established in Brahman? those who have realised their oneness with the Supreme Soul or Paramatma perform this kind of sacrifice. This is superior to all other sacrifices.