April 9 – Bhagavadgita Chapter 4; Verses 4.26-4.27 (Day 100) Karma Yoga

 April 9 – Day 100

Verse 4.26-4.27

श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति ।

शब्दादीन्विषयानन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुह्वति ॥ ४-२६॥ 

śhrotrādīnīndriyāṇyanye sanyamāgniṣhu juhwati
śhabdādīn viṣhayānanya indriyāgniṣhu juhwati (4.26) 

ஶ்ரோத்¹ராதீ³னிந்த்³ரியாண்யன்யே ஸன்யமாக்³னிஷு ஜுஹ்வதி¹ |
ஶப்¹தா³தீ³ன்விஷயானன்ய இந்த்³ரியாக்³னிஷு ஜுஹ்வதி¹ ||4.26|| 

26. Some again offer hearing and other senses as sacrifice in the fire of restraint; others offer sound and various objects of the senses as sacrifice in the fire of the senses. 

Commentary: Some Yogis are constantly engaged in restraining the senses.  They gather their senses under the guidance of the Self and do not allow them to come in contact with the sensual objects.  This is also an act of sacrifice.  Others direct their senses only to the pure and unforbidden objects of the senses.  This is also a kind of sacrifice. 

सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे ।

आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते ॥ ४-२७॥ 

sarvāṇīndriya-karmāṇi prāṇa-karmāṇi chāpare
ātma-sanyama-yogāgnau juhwati jñāna-dīpite (4.27) 

ஸர்வாணீந்த்³ரியக¹ர்மாணி ப்¹ராணக¹ர்மாணி சா¹ப¹ரே |
ஆத்¹மஸன்யமயோகா³க்³னௌ ஜுஹ்வதி¹ ஞானதீ³பி¹தே¹ ||4.27|| 

27. Others again sacrifice all the functions of the senses and those of the breath (vital energy or Prana) in the fire of the Yoga of self-restraint kindled by knowledge.

Commentary: Just as a lamp is kindled by oil, so also the fire of the yoga of self-control is kindled by knowledge. When the Yogi concentrates or fixes his mind on Brahman or the Self, the senses and the breath cease to function.  The senses and the breath are absorbed into their cause. 

Commentary by Swami Venkatesananda:

These are not external but internal ‘rituals’. External rituals are props for an internal process of meditation. To the vast majority of people they are necessary. There are a few spiritual heroes, however, who can dispense with them and enter the inner realm.

1. First kindle the fire of self-restraint within. Into that burning desire for achieving perfect restraint, offer the cravings and longings of the senses as and when they arise. The symbolism of the fire-worship will greatly help.

2. In the case of such activity and even such righteous enjoyments as are inevitable to the living of life, visualise the senses themselves as the sacrificial fire. Offer the objects of enjoyment into this fire; this is a very effective way of getting rid of ‘likes and dislikes’ which are the result of over-rating the objects of the world. The objects are like inert firewood, fuel for the senses which are the fire to be sustained so long as it is necessary for the enlightenment of the soul.

3. In a higher kind of meditation, the fire is saṁyama (combined practice of concentration, meditation and samādhi) and the oblation is the action (present and past) of all the senses and even the vital force.

Once the oblation is offered into the fire it becomes one with the fire which alone shines. Thus, when the senses and the vital force are offered into the fire of ātmasaṁyama, the self alone shines, after absorbing the oblations (senses and vital force) into itself.

-*-