Verse 4.33

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 4.33:

श्रेयान् द्रव्यमयाद् यज्ञाज् ज्ञान-यज्ञः परन्तप ।
सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते ॥ ३३ ॥

śreyān dravyamayād yajñāj jñāna-yajñaḥ parantapa |
sarvaṃ karmākhilaṃ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate || 33 ||

śreyān–better; dravyamayāt–of material possessions; yajñāt–than the sacrifice; jñāna-yajñaḥ–the sacrifice of knowledge; parantapa–O chastiser of the foe (Arjuna); sarvam–all; karma-akhilam–complete action; pārtha–O Pārtha; jñāne–in transcendental knowledge; parisamāpyate–culminates.

O Parantapa, sacrifice resulting in realizing transcendental knowledge (jñāna-yajñaḥ) is superior to the mere performance of ceremonial rites and sacrifices (dravyamaya-yajña) because, O Pārtha, the performance of all prescribed action culminates in transcendental knowledge.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

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

Jñāna-yajña (as described in Gītā 4.25) is superior to karma-yajña, or dravyamaya-yajña, which consists of material rituals and sacrifices (as described in Gītā 4.24). One may ask why. The answer is that the attainment of transcendental knowledge is the fruitful culmination of all action. In other words, fruitive action (karma) ceases to exist, or loses its fruitive aspect, after one attains transcendental knowledge, or jñāna.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

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

In his commentary on this verse, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura quotes Śrī Kṛṣṇa as saying, “Although all these sacrifices gradually lead to transcendental knowledge, then peace, and finally auspiciousness in the form of bhakti as it dawns on the living entity, still there is something to be considered. From the above group of sacrifices, a person may sometimes perform either dravyamaya-yajña, ceremonial rites and sacrifices, or at other times, depending on his faith, he may perform jñāna-maya-yajña (a sacrifice resulting in transcendental knowledge). This second type of sacrifice is far superior to the first because, O Pārtha, all prescribed duty (karma) culminates in transcendental knowledge. When the performance of any sacrifice does not involve deliberation on that which is transcendental, then the whole activity is simply ritualistic. However, when the goal is spiritual progress, despite being ceremonial, the sacrifices become spiritualized, or transcendental, and lose their fruitive materialistic nature. The aspect of sacrifice which consists of material rituals (dravyamaya) only, is called karma-kāṇḍa. One must remain very conscious of this distinction while performing yajña.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has also said, “Only those who worship Śrī Kṛṣṇa by the sacrificial process of chanting the holy names, or saṅkīrtana-yajña, make their lives successful and are most intelligent. All others are foolish slayers of the self.” The yajña of chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is supreme among all types of yajña. Performance of millions of aśvamedha-yajñas cannot be equated with once chanting the name of Kṛṣṇa. Those who make such comparisons are religious impostors, or hypocrites, and Yamarāja punishes them in various ways.

This is emphasized in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi-līlā 3.77–79):

saṅkīrtana-pravartaka śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya
saṅkīrtana-yajñe tāṅre bhaje, sei dhanya

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is the initiator of the sacrifice of saṅkīrtana (chanting the holy name). One who performs this saṅkīrtana is fortunate indeed.*

sei ta’ sumedhā, āra kubuddhi saṃsāra
sarva-yajña haite kṛṣṇa-nāma-yajña sāra

Such a person is truly intelligent, whereas others are certainly foolish and must endure the cycle of repeated birth and death. Of all sacrificial performances, the chanting of the Lord’s holy name is the very essence.*

koṭi aśvamedha eka kṛṣṇa nāma sama
yei kahe, se pāṣaṇḍī, daṇḍe tāre yama

One who says that ten million aśvamedha sacrifices are equal to the chanting of one name of Lord Kṛṣṇa is undoubtedly an atheist. He is sure to be punished by Yamarāja.*

Moreover, one’s bondage to the material world is easily untied by chanting the hare kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, and by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa one attains loving devotional service to Him. Thus, in the age of Kali, all yajñas except the chanting of Kṛṣṇa’s name are useless, because they do not fall into the category of the eternal occupation of the soul.

This is further clarified in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi-līlā 7.73–74):

kṛṣṇa-mantra haite habe saṃsāra-mocana
kṛṣṇa-nāma haite pābe kṛṣṇera caraṇa

By chanting the name of Kṛṣṇa one can obtain freedom from material existence. Indeed, by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra one will be able to attain the lotus feet of the Lord.*

nāma vinu kali-kāle nāhi āra dharma
sarva-mantra-sāra nāma, ei śāstra-marma

In this Age of Kali there is no religious principle other than the chanting of the holy name. This name of Kṛṣṇa is the essence of all the Vedas. It is the conclusion of all scriptures.*