Lord Krishna
Divine TeacherThe Supreme Lord, the charioteer and divine guide of Arjuna. Krishna delivers the eternal wisdom of the Gita, revealing the nature of the soul, duty, and the path to liberation.
Speaking: Chapter 18, Verse 70
Verse 70
The Yoga of Liberation through Renunciation
And whoever studies this sacred conversation between us, I consider that person to have worshipped Me through the sacrifice of knowledge.
Context & Meaning
The circle of grace expands further: not only those who realise, not only those who teach — but also those who simply study this sacred dialogue are considered by the Lord to have worshipped him. Study itself — sincere, attentive engagement with this conversation between Krishna and Arjuna — is a yajna, a sacrifice, a form of the highest worship. The Gita is not merely a text about devotion; it is itself an object of devotion. To read it carefully is to stand in the presence of the Lord.
Scholar Commentaries
1 commentary · Public domainRamanujacharya
VishishtadvaitaJñāna-yajñena — by the sacrifice of knowledge. In the Vishishtadvaita understanding, this verse democratises worship one step further: if performing rituals, cultivating wisdom, and surrendering the self are all forms of devotion, then study — the sincere, reverential engagement with the Lord's own words — is equally so. The person who reads the Gita does not merely gather information; they enter into the living conversation between the Lord and his beloved. That participation is itself worship.