Sanskrit
सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे । आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते ॥
sarvāṇīndriya-karmāṇi prāṇa-karmāṇi cāpare ātma-saṃyama-yogāgnau juhvati jñāna-dīpite
Translation
Others again into the wisdom-kindled fire of union attained by self-control, pour as sacrifice all the functions of the senses and the functions of life;
Annie Besant · The Bhagavad-Gita, translated by Annie Besant (4th ed., 1922) — Wikisource · Public Domain
Explanation
Continues the catalogue with a more integrated form: offering all the functions of the senses and of vital breath into the single fire of self-control kindled by knowledge — again tying the fire-of-wisdom image from verses 10 and 19 directly to the vocabulary of sacrifice. Where verse 26 split the offering across many fires, this consolidates it into one: a single ātma-saṃyama-yoga-agni, lit by jñāna. The image of a fire that must be kindled by knowledge is the chapter’s way of saying discipline without understanding does not burn.
Study deeper
Word by word
- sarvāṇīndriya-karmāṇiसर्वाणीन्द्रिय-कर्माणि
- all the actions of the senses (sarvāṇi + indriya-karmāṇi)
- prāṇa-karmāṇi cāpareप्राण-कर्माणि चापरे
- and the actions of the vital breath, others (prāṇa-karmāṇi + ca + apare)
- ātma-saṃyama-yogāgnauआत्म-संयम-योगाग्नौ
- into the fire of the yoga of self-restraint (ātma-saṃyama-yoga-agnau)
- juhvatiजुह्वति
- they offer
- jñāna-dīpiteज्ञान-दीपिते
- kindled by knowledge (jñāna-dīpite)
Commentary
Site Commentary
Verse 26 kept two techniques apart — restraining the senses, or engaging sense-objects with discipline; this verse folds both together into a single more integrated offering, all sensory and vital function poured into one fire kindled by knowledge. The catalogue isn’t just listing parallel options, it’s quietly escalating in sophistication verse by verse, moving from separable techniques toward a more unified practice — a shape worth noticing before assuming every item in this list carries equal weight.
Original commentary written for this site · © Amit Singh — original commentary
Concepts
Apply this verse
Lessons
Personal
- If you're currently practicing several separate small disciplines — one habit for focus, another for patience, another for restraint — expect that with enough practice they start folding into a single unified way of operating, the way this verse merges senses and their objects into one offering.
Professional
- Early in building a capability, you'll likely practice separable skills in isolation — one for communication, one for technical depth, one for judgment; the more integrated version of that capability, worth aiming toward, is when those skills stop being managed individually and start operating as one coherent practice.
Family & Social
- The separate small efforts you make in a relationship — listening better, being more patient, showing up more reliably — are meant to eventually integrate into one coherent way of being with that person, not stay forever as a checklist of individual habits to track.
Ask yourself
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