Summary:

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, Verse 28: Dravya-yajna means releasing the tendency to hold on, recognizing all resources are borrowed gifts from Ishvara – withholding stops the regeneration of punya and reinforces unworthiness, blocking self-knowledge. Tapo-yajna is deliberate self-discipline that reduces rajas (agitation, restlessness) and tamas (laziness, passivity) in the mind, increasing sattva (active clarity, motivation, inspiration) – because only a sattvic mind is subtle and steady enough to receive self-knowledge. Yoga-yajna is astanga-yoga, done not for personal gain like a better body or sharper mind – but becoming a cleaner vessel to bring Ishvara into your life. Svadhyaya-yajna regularly cleanses the mind's pessimistic nature, and immerses you in self-study.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, Verse 29: When the mind feels restless or scattered, breath control is the fastest way to restore composure. Lengthening the inhale energizes and draws awareness inward, while lengthening the exhale releases tension and calms the nervous system. Retention — holding the breath — trains the mind to remain still and contained, building the inner steadiness needed for deeper practice.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, Verse 30: Eating as yajna requires two conditions: regulating what, when, and how much you eat, and acknowledging Ishvara's role in placing food before you. The practical rule is 50% solids, 25% liquids, 25% empty.

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Revision: V26-27:

One of yajña (spiritual practices) was śama – which is mentally freeing yourself from self-imposed limitations, or unhelpful, standards and behaviors.

Here's an example of freeing yourself from anger…

Someone has actively or mistakenly done harm to you. For instance, he or she didn't  show the love you sought from them. You felt treated unfairly.  Neither you can easily forget because of memory. But you can heal yourself from the bitterness or resentment.

Because for knowledge of realities to by crystal clear, the mind needs to be relatively cheerful, without preoccupation with so many loads of the past.

How do we start removing mind's preoccupations of the past? Settle accounts with the world. This means first realizing each unpleasant happening is creating a self-talk in you that’s guiding your abilities and belief in yourself. 

For instance, you started out innocent, then someone hurt you, and you became an angry person, and started operating from distortions – dismissing anyone who slightly makes you angry. So we start out being being nice, then people are not being nice to you, and somewhere along the line you’ve internalized non-niceness.

What you can do is assess how these learned behaviours are impacting you.

Formula to help reduce negative behaviours:

1. Finding out why the undesirable behaviour or response keeps reoccurring in you.
2. See how it’s not serving you.
3. Get clear what could be a better response.

Essentially you’re cultivating a healthy I-sense (mechanism that relates conditions of body-mind to “I am”. EG: Buddhi understands math formula, however person says “I understand”) by removing inferiority (victim mode, it’s everyone’s else’s fault I’m in this situation), and entitlement complexes (“I deserve to be loved”, or setting unrealistic standards).

If loaded I-sense won’t even give up it’s loads, how will it give up it’s entire self!

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, Verse 28:

द्रव्य-यज्ञाः तपो-यज्ञाः योग-यज्ञाः तथा अपरे ।
स्वाध्याय-ज्ञान-यज्ञाः च यतयः संशितव्रताः ॥ ४-२८॥
dravya-yajñāḥ tapo-yajñāḥ yoga-yajñāḥ tathā apare ।
svādhyāya-jñāna-yajñāḥ ca yatayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ ॥ 4-28॥
So too, there are those who share (their) wealth, those who follow prayerful disciplines, those who practise yoga, and those of firm vows and efforts who pursue recitation of their own Veda and self-knowledge.

What are other things you can do to initiate self-growth, to become mature, to cultivate a healthy I-sense for sake of self-knowledge taking place?…

Dravya-yajna [Charity spiritual practice]: Act of giving / Charity

There’s tendency to hold on to things for security. Need to give up idea of holding and start sharing because ultimately every glory of yours is gift from Ishvara (in form of people, objects, resources) – and it's not truly yours.

You're on borrowed time, borrowed resources, borrowed relationships.

Therefore if you want to continue having abundance and good relations, you need to continue contributing, which is the very thing because of which life blessed things you already have.

When giving stops, punya ends. Way to regenerate punya is continuing to share.

Furthermore, by not sharing, you’re saying “I’m not good enough, I don’t have anything of value, therefore I’m a worthless human being”.

How can a worthless human being ever feel they truly deserve the highest blessing of self-knowledge?

It's true that non-giving feels secure, but it’s actually saying “I’m not secure, thus I need to hold on, because I’m not going to receive more!”.

By holding on, one creates a self-fulfilling destiny, by spending all time protecting and enjoying what they have, and less time learning.

Additionally, a cup that’s full, can’t be filled with fresh juice of knowledge.

And lastly, the act of giving reinforces that you are able to part with something you value, which creates a smile on the other's face and produces positive feedback, and life blesses you with self-esteem.

By giving, you get more, and not by holding onto. This is called “enlightened self-interest”; giving is not a selfless choice, but a smart choice – knowing universe is made in such a way that giving benefits both you and the receiver.

Summary: Sharing > Creates adrsta punya > blesses in future in completely unexpected ways.

Tapo-yajna [discipline spiritual practice]: Practices that cultivate self-mastery in various areas / Less mechanical

Tapas is anything you do for self-mastery for sake of deepening your connection to Ishvara. Tapas is not just any discipline – the crucial word here is spiritual/prayerful. 

For example…

Yoga-yajna: This is aṣṭāṅga-yoga [eight-limbed yoga]

What makes aṣṭāṅga-yoga a yajna is Īśvara-praṇidhānam [surrender to the Lord], meaning your intention for practising yoga is not for personal gain such as a better body, sharper mind, or even peace of mind. Instead, you're doing yoga to be more sensitive to realities, to Ishvara's presence, to become more devotional.

You are saying, “I do this to become a cleaner, clearer vessel for you.”

Therefore shift from seeing yoga as “my progress”, to doing it for sole purpose of figuring out the realities.

Moment yoga is about having a sexy body, shining a youthful aura to have greater influence on others — it's not longer a yajna, and loses all spiritual benefits it was meant to provide.

Svādhyāya-jñāna-yajñāḥ [recitation and self-study spiritual practice]: Firm vows and efforts to keep mind clean

Just how you clean your body and house regularly, we need to clean the mind regularly because it’s a glue for unhealthy patterns.

Svadhyaya (self-study) is done to keep elevating your mind because nature of mind is sorrow due to its preoccupation with doubting – which manifests as anxiety / uncertainty / fear.

Examples of healthy spiritual food (svadhyaya) for the mind:

• • Japa chanting.
  • Reading thoughtful material.
  • Engaging in something constructive that develops your mind/brain.

Redirecting the mind's pessimistic nature:

Suppose someone is hurt. Healthy response is letting empathy naturally come. But suppose your mind curtails that initial empathy with, “They deserve it because it’s their karma and I don’t have to do anything about it”. 

Immediatelyredirect that thought to a more mature response such as wishing them well, or recognize “People are complex beings, they’re careless in some areas, and intelligent in others”.

Or suppose you’ve done all you can, and the person is not responding to your help. If you stay in the situation, you mind will create mental images that'll rob you of peace. So in this case, you might need to create deliberate distance, without necessarily writing them off completely as each person is made of many facets.

If you can’t create distance, then affirm to yourself, “I’ve chosen to not create a distance, for various reasons. How can I still protect my sanity?  /  I can’t create a distance because this is my choice!”. This puts responsibility on you, and strips away feeling like a victim (“I’m good and helpless, and he/she is not allow me to evolve”) and complaining.

Krishna showed us when to create a deliberate distance:

Despite Duryodhana’s stubborness, Krishna goes for one last time, giving Duryodhana a chance to show sensibility. However, Duryodhana was so deluded in his world, he didn’t want to part with even a single house.

Krishna didn’t walk out angry or complaining how he was mistreated and Duryodhana is so unfair. Instead, realising Duryodhana’s mind is beyond saving in this lifetime, he set a boundary of no further negotiations. 

Technical term of svadhyaya:

Technically, svādhyāya-yajñas are those who learn to chant or recite their own Veda and do so daily. In modern terms, the word “Veda” can be taken as any wisdom or piece of teaching that heals you, and is backed by Vedic principles. For example, “I’m small, and God is the great punisher” is not a svādhyāya-yajña, as it’s based on a belief.

NEXT VERSE: Yajna (Vedic ritual) to help yourself through prana control (breath awareness)…

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, Verse 29:

अपाने जुह्वति प्राणम् प्राणे अपानम् तथा अपरे ।
प्राण-अपान-गती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायाम-परायणाः ॥ ४-२९॥
apāne juhvati prāṇam prāṇe apānam tathā apare ।
prāṇa-apāna-gatī ruddhvā prāṇāyāma-parāyaṇāḥ ॥ 4-29॥
So too, others who are committed to the practice of prāṇāyāma (breath control), stopping the flow of inhalation and exhalation, offer the outgoing breath into the incoming breath (and) the incoming breath into the outgoing breath.

This verse invites you to see that even breathing can become a spiritual discipline when done with deliberateness. If your mind feels restless, scattered, or impure – breath control is the fastest way to bring composure to the mind.

Prāṇāyāma means discipline of breath control. Prāṇa means breath, and āyāma means discipline.

The word prāṇa carries several meanings depending on context. It can refer to…

1. Lifeforce: For example, when someone dies, we say “prana left”, which basically means, “lifeforce which was making body sentient is gone”.
2. Metabolic activity: such as the spark of energy that converts food into fuel.
3. Warmth/energy you feel in the body: The warmth you feel coursing through your body after exertion. Or energy boost after coffee.
4. Range of physiological functions: Such as digestion, circulation.

In this verse, the more specific meaning is intended: prāṇa is the outgoing breath or exhalation, and inhalation.

The Three Disciplines of Breath

Here’s 3 forms of pranayama, used to help make mind calmer and focused:

1. Pūraka-prāṇāyāma — apāne juhvati prāṇam: Inhale for 8 counts, exhale for 4 counts. No holding. 
2. Recaka-prāṇāyāma — prāṇe juhvati apānam: Inhale for 4 counts, exhale for 8 counts. No holding. 
3. Kumbhaka-prāṇāyāma — prāṇa-apāna-gati-ruddhvā: Kumbhaka comes from kumbha, meaning a ‘pot.' Just as water is retained in a pot, so too your breath is retained in the lungs. Two variations:
   • Antaḥkumbhaka (inside retention): Inhale for 4 counts, hold inside for 16 counts, exhale for 8 counts.
   • Bahiṣkumbhaka (outside retention): Inhale for 4 counts, exhale for 8 counts — making sure your lungs are completely empty at the end of the exhale. Then hold for 8 counts before inhaling again.

NOTE: In traditional practice, Kumbhaka (especially Antaḥkumbhaka of 16 counts) is usually accompanied by the Bandhas (body locks), specifically Jalandhara Bandha (throat lock) and Mula Bandha (root lock), to safely contain the energy and prevent pressure from building up in the head.

Note: In classical prāṇāyāma, the mouth remains closed throughout — all breathing is done through the nostrils.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, Verse 30:

अपरे नियत-आहाराः प्राणान् प्राणेषु जुह्वति ।
सर्वे अपि एते यज्ञविदः यज्ञ-क्षपित-कल्मषाः ॥ ४-३०॥
apare niyata-āhārāḥ prāṇān prāṇeṣu juhvati ।
sarve api ete yajñavidaḥ yajña-kṣapita-kalmaṣāḥ ॥ 4-30॥
Others, who regulate their food intake, offer their desire to eat (more) unto the digestive fires. All these (people) who observe religious disciplines (become), without exception, those for whom the impurities of the mind have been destroyed by the yajña.

Most people either diet for health, or just eat however they want. Neither have spiritual benefits. This verse shows you a third option – eating as a spiritual practice [yajña]. Meaning, developing discipline towards eating, spills in other areas of your life.

Two Conditions that Make Eating Give Spiritual Benefits [Yajña]

1. Regulate what, when, and how much you eat. EG: Saying “no” to the extra piece, strengthens will power to say “no” to other indulgences in life. Setting a no-eat time-zone builds discipline.
2. Before eating, acknowledge the people/situations involved to put this food infront of you.

The Practical Rule for Eating

According to the Mitahara [moderate diet] principle in Rig Veda and haṭha-yoga-pradīpikā:

• 50% of your stomach → solids
• 25% → liquids
• 25% → left completely empty, for air to move freely

What You Gain

Every person who does this without exception becomes a yajña-kṣapita-kalmaṣāḥ — one whose mental impurities are destroyed by the practice. Your likes and dislikes [rāga-dveṣas] lose their grip.

“All these people who observe religious disciplines, benefit”

Rituals we’ve spoken of so far help take your mind from dissatisfaction to gratitude, from isolation to connection, from consumer to contributor – seeing the world is already giving you so much (such as air, sun and basic food) unconditionally. Thus if you’re receiving so much already, it make sense to contribute back.

NEXT VERSE:  Performing these religious disciplines, the mumukṣus are able to think clearly and relate to the highest teachings, gaining Brahman…

 

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Course was based on Swami Dayananda (Arsha Vidya) home study course.

Recorded 10 May, 2026