Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 31

Chapter 4 – Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम् ।
नायं लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञस्य कुतोऽन्यः कुरुसत्तम ॥

Transliteration

yajñaśiṣṭāmṛtabhujo yānti brahma sanātanam .
nāyaṃ loko.astyayajñasya kuto.anyaḥ kurusattama ॥

Meaning

Those who partake of the nectar-like remnants of sacrifice reach the eternal Brahman. This world is not for one who performs no sacrifice — how then the other, O best of the Kurus?

Word meanings

यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजः – those who eat the nectar left over from sacrifice
यान्ति – go to, attain
ब्रह्म – Brahman
सनातनम् – eternal
न – not
अयम् – this
लोकः – world
अस्ति – is
अयज्ञस्य – for one who performs no sacrifice
कुतः – how, whence
अन्यः – the other (world)
कुरुसत्तम – O best of the Kurus (Arjuna)

Anvaya (word order)

(हे) कुरुसत्तम, यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजः सनातनं ब्रह्म यान्ति । अयज्ञस्य अयं लोकः (अपि) न अस्ति, अन्यः (लोकः) कुतः ?

Explanation

In the previous verse Krishna said that the sins of all who perform sacrifice are destroyed. Now He expands on the fruit of sacrifice. ‘Yajna-shishtamrita-bhujah’ — for those who partake of what remains after sacrifice, that remnant is nectar. The idea links back to Chapter 3 (3.13), where Krishna said that the good who eat the remnants of sacrifice are freed from all sins, while those who cook only for themselves eat sin itself.

Why is the remnant of sacrifice called ‘amrita’, nectar? Because food, wealth or pleasure that comes to us after we have first fulfilled our duties to others, to the gods and to society does not bind the mind; it nourishes it. Shankara explains that seekers who perform sacrifice and then eat what remains, as scripture directs, reach the eternal Brahman in due course, through purity of mind and knowledge. Ramanuja too sees sacrifice here as a means to realisation of the Self.

By contrast, Krishna declares firmly: ‘nayam loko'sty ayajnasya kuto'nyah’ — this world is not for one who performs no sacrifice at all; how then the next? It means that a life sunk wholly in self-interest does not find real happiness or honour even here. Society, family and nature all rest on a cycle of mutual giving and receiving; one who only takes and never gives cuts himself off from that cycle.

By calling Arjuna ‘Kurusattama’, best of the Kurus, Krishna reminds him of the noble tradition of his line. For a worthy kshatriya, even a righteous war is a sacrifice, which it is his duty to perform without selfish motive.

Context

In 4.30 Krishna completed the list of sacrifices and said that all who perform them are cleansed of sin. Here He says that those who partake of the nectar-like remnants of sacrifice reach the eternal Brahman, while one who performs no sacrifice gains neither this world nor the next. In the next verse (4.32) He says that all these sacrifices are set forth in the Vedas and are born of action.

Life lesson

Give first, then receive — that is the principle of sacrifice in life. Offer a share of your earnings and your time to family, society and God; then what remains will become grace and nectar for you.

Key terms

Yajna-shishta: the remnant of sacrifice; that which is received as prasada
Amrita: nectar; here, the life-giving, purifying remnant of sacrifice
Ayajna: one who performs no sacrifice or selfless action
Sanatana Brahman: the eternal, everlasting Reality