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Bhagavad Gita · 12.12 · The Yoga of Devotion·12 of 20

श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यतेध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम्

śhreyo hi jñānam abhyāsāj jñānād dhyānaṁ viśhiṣhyate

dhyānāt karma-phala-tyāgas tyāgāch chhāntir anantaram

Sanskrit recitation

Many paths, one devotion · 12.1–12.12 · Teaching

Translation

Better indeed is knowledge than practice; better than knowledge is meditation; better than meditation is the renunciation of the fruits of actions: peace immediately follows renunciation.

Meaning

Theoretical or indirect knowledge of Brahman gained from the scriptures is better than the practice (of restraining the modifications of the mind or worship of idols or selfmortification for the purpose of control of the mind and the senses) accompained with ignorance. Meditation is better than theoretical knowledge. Renunciation of the fruits of actions is bettern than meditation. Renunciation of the fruits of all actions as a means to the attainment of supreme peace or Moksha is merely eulogised here by the declaration of the superiority of one over the other to encourage Arjuna (and other spiritual aspirants) to practise Nishkama Karma Yoga, to create a strong desire in them to take up the Yoga of selfless action, in the same manner as by saying that the ocean was drunk by the Brahmana sage Agastya even the Brahmanas of this age are extolled because they are also Brahmanas.Desire is an enemy of peace. Desire causes restlessness of the mind. Desire is the source of all human miseries, sorrows and troubles. Stop the play of desire through discrimination, dispassion and enquiry into the nature of the Self then you will enjoy supreme peace.Renunciation of the fruits of actions, is prescribed for the purification of the aspirants heart. It annihlates desire, the enemy of wisdom. The sage, too, renounces the fruits of actions. It has become natural to him to do so.

After Swami Sivananda

Many paths, one devotion· 12.1–12.12

Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.

Word-by-word
hi
for
dhyānam
meditation
jñānam
knowledge
tyāgāt
renunciation
anantaram
immediately
dhyānāt
than meditation
jñānāt
than knowledge
abhyāsāt
than (mechanical) practice
śhreyaḥ
better
śhāntiḥ
peace
viśhiṣhyate
better
karma-phala-tyāgaḥ
renunciation of the fruits of actions

Related verses

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