Verse 8.28
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम् | अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा योगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम् ||२८||
Transliteration (IAST)
vedeṣu yajñeṣu tapaḥsu caiva dāneṣu yat puṇya-phalaṁ pradiṣṭam | atyeti tat sarvam idaṁ viditvā yogī paraṁ sthānam upaiti cādyam ||28||
Word-by-Word Meanings
Translation
The yogi who knows all this surpasses whatever merit is promised in the Vedas, in sacrifices, in austerities, and in charities, and attains the supreme, primeval abode.
Commentary
The chapter concludes by declaring that the knowledge and practice taught here transcends all conventional religious merit. Shankaracharya explains that Vedic rituals, sacrifices, austerities, and charities yield limited, temporary results, whereas the yoga of divine remembrance leads to the eternal supreme abode. Ramanuja adds that this verse encourages the aspirant to pursue the highest goal rather than settling for lesser fruits.