श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः परन्तप ।
सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते ॥
सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
हे परन्तप अर्जुन द्रव्यमय यज्ञसे ज्ञानयज्ञ श्रेष्ठ है । सम्पूर्ण कर्म और पदार्थ ज्ञानतत्त्वज्ञान में समाप्त हो जाते हैं ॥
English
O Arjuna, knowledge-sacrifice is better than sacrifice made of material things. All action and all matter end in knowledge.
What this verse means
Inner understanding is higher than outer offerings. Every action and every material effort finally leads toward knowledge.
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, Arjuna is frozen before the war. Krishna explains that rituals with material offerings are not the highest form of worship. Deeper than all outward action is knowledge, because every deed finally finds its completion there.
Why this verse still matters
You keep trying to fix a painful situation with more effort, more advice, more buying, more doing. Then one honest insight changes everything. Some problems end not in force, but in understanding.
The takeaway
It brings relief: what you do is not wasted, because action can mature into understanding.
Word-by-word translation
श्रेयान् (better) / द्रव्यमयात् (than material) / यज्ञात् (than sacrifice) / ज्ञानयज्ञः (knowledge-sacrifice) / परन्तप (O scorcher of foes) / सर्वम् (all) / कर्म (action) / अखिलम् (entire) / पार्थ (O Partha) / ज्ञाने (in knowledge) / परिसमाप्यते (is completed / ends)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4: Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga — Knowledge and Renunciation of Action, which contains 42 verses.
Explore related themes: karma (11 verses)