SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
SlOkam – Original
SrEyAn dhravyamayAdh yagyAth gyAnayagyA: paranthapa |
sarvam karmAkhilam pArtha gyAnE parisamApyathE ||
word-by-word meaning
paranthapa – Oh destroyer of enemies!
dhravya mayAth – having more importance for kriyA (actions) which are based on materials
yagyAth – over the aspect of karma yOga
gyAna yagya: – the knowledge aspect of karma yOga
SrEyAn – is better;
pArtha – Oh son of kunthI!
sarvam – with all forms
akilam – with all its parts
karma – the aspect of actions
gyAnE – in the true knowledge about the self
parisamApyathE – doesn’t it culminate?
Simple Translation
Oh destroyer of enemies! The knowledge aspect of karma yOga is better than the aspect of karma yOga where there is more importance for kriyA (actions) which are based on materials; oh son of kunthI! doesn’t the aspect of actions which is together with all its forms and parts, culminate into the true knowledge about the self?
Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam
‘The wisdom-element, Parantapa[2. ‘Harasser of foes,’ a nom de guerre of Arjuna.]! is superior in the yajñas, requiring a profusion of material[3. Dravya means any material required for an act, and therefore includes money.]. All complete act, Pārtha[4. Arjuna. Epithet of Arjuna, being a descendant of Pṛithu-Chakravarti.]! ultimately ends in wisdom[5. A confusion will arise here in the mind of the student, as to why karma was all the while extolled, and now jñāna is extolled. Are they separate, or the one in the other? These doubts will be cleared up in an Introduction.].’
Karma (all action) has two aspects, (the act as the unintelligent act itself, with materials, instruments etc., taken to perform it with, and the intelligence which is used in the act [this is the wisdom-aspect]).
That part of the act which is wisdom (or intelligence or motive or intent with which it is performed) is superior to the part which consists of an abundance of material (money etc).
All (sarvam) act, with its complete (akhilam) accessories, ends in wisdom (i.e., finds its meaning in wisdom; act in itself without the directing intelligence being dead and meaningless). Hence all work is performed that wisdom involved therein may be cultivated (or evolved);— wisdom being the end that is intended, by every means, to be reached. By constant endeavour, that itself (wisdom), is reached, and conducts one to the final stage.
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