Shloka 31

ध्यानयोगः — Dhyāna-Yoga

Discipline of Meditation and Mental Restraint

Devanagari script

२९-३० ।। सम्बन्ध-- इस प्रकार यज्ञ करनेवाले साधकोंकी प्रशंसा करके अब उन यज्ञोंकी करनेसे होनेवाले लाभ और न करनेसे होनेवाली हानि दिखलाकर भगवान्‌ उपर्युक्त प्रकारसे यज्ञ करनेकी आवश्यकताका प्रतिपादन करते हैं-- यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम्‌ | नायं लोको>स्त्ययज्ञस्य कुतो<न्य: कुरुसत्तम

Transliteration

yajña-śiṣṭāmṛta-bhujo yānti brahma sanātanam | nāyaṁ loko 'sty ayajñasya kuto 'nyaḥ kuru-sattama ||

Translation

食用祭祀所余、如甘露之供物者——以奉献之后的余分而活的瑜伽行者——得至永恒之梵。然不行祭者，连此人间亦非真正安乐之所；更遑论他界如何能安乐，哦，俱卢中之最胜者！

Word by Word

• यज्ञ-शिष्ट-अमृत-भुजः: eaters of the nectar-like remnants of sacrifice
• यज्ञ-शिष्ट-अमृत-भुजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज् (धातु) / भुज्- (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यान्ति: go, attain
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: Present, Indicative, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• ब्रह्म: Brahman (the Absolute)
• ब्रह्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सनातनम्: eternal
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)

• अयम्: this
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लोकः: world
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्ति: is, exists
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: Present, Indicative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अयज्ञस्य: of one who does not sacrifice / of the non-sacrificer
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• कुतः: whence? how then?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)

• अन्यः: another (world)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कुरु-सत्तम: O best of the Kurus
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुसत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna (Kuru-sattama)
• Brahman (sanātana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Consecrated action (yajña) sustains both ethical life and spiritual progress: one who offers first and then lives on the sanctified remainder is purified and moves toward the eternal Brahman, whereas a life of mere consumption without offering undermines well-being here and offers no basis for happiness beyond.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Bhīṣma Parva dialogue on the battlefield, the teaching emphasizes disciplined action: the speaker addresses Arjuna as 'best of the Kurus' and contrasts the yogic life of offering and restraint with the self-centered life that refuses sacrificial duty.