Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingTranslation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaO destroyer of enemies, knowledge considered as a sacrifice is greater than sacrifices requiring materials. O son of Prtha, all actions in their totality culminate in knowledge.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
हे परन्तप ! द्रव्यों से सम्पन्न होने वाले यज्ञ की अपेक्षा ज्ञानयज्ञ श्रेष्ठ है। हे पार्थ ! सम्पूर्ण अखिल कर्म ज्ञान में समाप्त होते हैं, अर्थात् ज्ञान उनकी पराकाष्ठा है।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from VaamshiiWord by word
padārthaThemes
from The Thematic Companion to the Bhagavad GītāMeaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnAKṛṣṇa lists them like rungs of a ladder. Some offer the senses into the fire of restraint; some offer the sense-objects into the fire of the senses; some offer all the functions of the senses and the breath into the fire of self-control kindled by knowledge. Some sacrifice with wealth, some by austerity, some by yoga; some by the study of scripture and by knowledge (svādhyāya-jñāna-yajña); some by the disciplined regulation of the in-breath and out-breath (prāṇāyāma); some by moderating their food. Every one of these is a genuine offering. But the conclusion (4.33) is decisive: the sacrifice of Knowledge (jñāna-yajña) is greater than any sacrifice of things, “for all action, without exception, culminates in Knowledge.” The material offerings purify; Knowledge liberates.