Gita 18.70
Moksha Sanyasa Yoga
अध्येष्यते च य इमं धर्म्यं संवादमावयोः | ज्ञानयज्ञेन तेनाहमिष्टः स्यामिति मे मतिः ||७०||
adhyeṣyate ca ya imaṁ dharmyaṁ saṁvādam āvayoḥ | jñāna-yajñena tenāham iṣṭaḥ syām iti me matiḥ ||70||
In essence: One who studies this sacred dialogue between us worships Me through the sacrifice of knowledge - this is My view.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "How is studying equal to worship? Worship usually involves rituals, offerings."
Guru: "The essence of worship is attention directed toward the Divine. When you study the Gita with devotion, your attention rests on Krishna's words, His teachings, His presence. That IS worship - offering your mind as the sacrificial fire, the text as the oblation. Formal ritual creates the same inner state through external means; study achieves it directly."
Sadhak: "'Jnana-yajna' - sacrifice of knowledge. How is knowledge a sacrifice?"
Guru: "In sacrifice, you offer something valuable to the Divine. In jnana-yajna, you offer your cognitive capacity - the effort of understanding, the struggle to grasp truth, the transformation of ignorance into wisdom. This 'burning' of ignorance in the fire of knowledge is the subtlest and highest sacrifice."
Sadhak: "Does casual reading count, or must study be deep and systematic?"
Guru: "Any sincere engagement has value. But 'adhyesyate' implies more than casual reading - it suggests study, repeated engagement, contemplation. The deeper the study, the more complete the worship. Still, even beginning readers perform worship at their level. Start where you are; deepen as you grow."
Sadhak: "'This is My view' - why does Krishna add this personal note?"
Guru: "To emphasize that this isn't abstract truth but His personal valuation. He's not reporting cosmic law but expressing His own appreciation. When you study, you're not just gaining merit - you're pleasing Krishna directly. The personal note makes the relationship intimate, not transactional."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Begin daily study as worship: 'I approach this text as yajna. My attention is the offering, my effort the fire, the verses the sacred ghee. By studying, I worship Krishna.' Even five minutes of reverential reading qualifies as jnana-yajna.
When you recall or reflect on Gita verses during the day, recognize these moments as continued worship. The yajna isn't confined to formal study sessions - carrying the teachings in awareness extends the worship throughout the day.
Review: 'Did I engage with the Gita today? Even briefly?' The practice of daily study, however minimal, keeps the worship active. Before sleep, contemplate one verse or teaching - let the final thoughts be sacrificial offering.