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Chapter 4 · Transcendental Knowledge · 42 verses

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Duty & actionChapter 4 · Transcendental Knowledge
4.294.31

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 4.30

Sacrifice, discipline and knowledge

सर्वेऽप्येते यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषाः ।

यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम् ॥ ३० ॥

sarve ’py ete yajña-vido

yajña-kṣapita-kalmaṣāḥ

yajña-śiṣṭāmṛta-bhujo

yānti brahma sanātanam

Translation

All these performers who know the meaning of sacrifice become cleansed of sinful reactions, and, having tasted the nectar of the results of sacrifices, they advance toward the supreme eternal atmosphere.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Sacrifice and Eternal Life

  1. 1Those who understand sacrifice become free from sinful reactions, taste its nectar, and advance toward the supreme eternal atmosphere.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that all these sacrifices aim to control the senses. Sense gratification is the root cause of material existence.
  3. 3Practice sacrifice to control your senses and progress toward the eternal kingdom of God.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 4, Transcendental Knowledge: sacrifice, discipline and knowledge.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Act dutifully without attachment to fruits.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: karma, sva-dharma.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 4.30 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to duty & action?

Practice

Do one task today purely because it is right.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 4 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 4.25Sacrifice, discipline and knowledgeBG 4.26Sacrifice, discipline and knowledgeBG 2.47Responsibility without ownership of outcomesBG 3.21Leadership by example

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.