Shloka 9
Nārada’s Instructions: Śrāddha, True Dharma, Contentment, Yoga, and Devotion-Centered Renunciation
एके कर्ममयान् यज्ञान् ज्ञानिनो यज्ञवित्तमा: । आत्मसंयमनेऽनीहा जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते ॥ ९ ॥
eke karmamayān yajñān jñānino yajña-vittamāḥ ātma-saṁyamane ’nīhā juhvati jñāna-dīpite
काही यज्ञवित् ज्ञानी, अध्यात्मज्ञान जागृत झाल्यावर कर्ममय यज्ञ सोडून, ब्रह्मज्ञानाच्या अग्नीत आत्मसंयमाची आहुती देतात व निष्काम राहतात।
People are generally very much interested in karma-kāṇḍa ritualistic ceremonies for elevation to the higher planetary systems, but when one awakens his spiritual knowledge, he becomes uninterested in such elevation and engages himself fully in jñāna-yajña to find the objective of life. The objective of life is to stop completely the miseries of birth and death and to return home, back to Godhead. When one cultivates knowledge for this purpose, he is considered to be on a higher platform than one who is engaged in karma-yajña, or fruitive activities.
FAQs
This verse teaches that wise people transform ritualistic, fruitive actions into a higher sacrifice by offering them into self-discipline, where spiritual knowledge acts like a bright fire that consumes selfish motivation.
In this chapter Prahlāda instructs on civilized human conduct and spiritual progression, explaining how one can purify life by elevating external ritual and action into inner sacrifice grounded in knowledge and restraint.
Practice restraint of speech, senses, and habits, and offer daily work without selfish intent—using study of śāstra and remembrance of the Lord to keep actions aligned with spiritual knowledge.