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Bhagavad-gītā 18.70

अध्येष्यते च य इमं धर्म्यं संवादमावयो: । ज्ञानयज्ञेन तेनाहमिष्ट: स्यामिति मे मति: ॥ ७० ॥
adhyeṣyate ca ya imaṁ
[adhyeshyate cha ya imam]
dharmyaṁ saṁvādam āvayoḥ
[dharmyam samvaadam aavayoh]
jñāna-yajñena tenāham
[jnaana-yajnena tenaaham]
iṣṭaḥ syām iti me matiḥ
[ishtah syaam iti me matih]
Word-for-word
adhyeṣyate — will study ca — also yaḥ — he who imam — this dharmyam — sacred saṁvādam — conversation āvayoḥ — of ours jñāna — of knowledge yajñena — by the sacrifice tena — by him aham — I iṣṭaḥ — worshiped syām — shall be iti — thus me — My matiḥ — opinion .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
adhyeṣyate ca ya imaṁ
adhyeṣyate
will study
ca
also
yaḥ
he who
imam
this
dharmyaṁ saṁvādam āvayoḥ
dharmyam
sacred
saṁvādam
conversation
āvayoḥ
of ours
jñāna-yajñena tenāham
jñāna
of knowledge
yajñena
by the sacrifice
tena
by him
aham
I
iṣṭaḥ syām iti me matiḥ
iṣṭaḥ
worshiped
syām
shall be
iti
thus
me
My
matiḥ
opinion .
Important Words
  • adhyeṣyate — will study
    Future passive. The specific verb for serious textual study — adhi-i, to study. Not casual reading but disciplined engagement. The verse honors the studious reader.
  • dharmyam — sacred
    Adjective. With saṁvādam: the dharmic conversation. Dharmya — in accord with dharma. The verse identifies the Gītā as a *dharmic dialogue*, not as a treatise.
  • āvayoḥ — of us two
    Genitive dual. *Our* conversation — between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna together. The Gītā is repeatedly framed as a two-person event, and the verse preserves that intimate quality.
  • yajñena — by the sacrifice
    Instrumental. With jñāna: by the sacrifice of knowledge. The study itself is *the* sacrifice. The verse re-categorizes scriptural study as a form of yajña — equal in standing to fire-rituals.
  • iṣṭaḥ — worshiped
    Past participle. *I — Kṛṣṇa personally — am worshiped* through this jñāna-yajña. The verse personalizes the reward: study reaches the Lord directly.
And I declare that he who studies this sacred conversation of ours worships Me by his intelligence.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Even reading-study of this dialogue is itself a jñāna-yajña — a knowledge-sacrifice that worships Kṛṣṇa. Recitation and study of the Gītā are valid pūjā. So Kṛṣṇa himself declares.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
The verse names svādhyāya of the Gītā as a sacrifice. 'Mat-iti'-framed Self-declaration — 'iti me matiḥ' — is exceptionally rare and weighty. Establishes scriptural recitation as itself a soteriological act. Cf. 4.28 jñāna-yajña; here the text becomes its own yajña-form.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
यः च इमं आवयोः धर्म्यं संवादम् अध्येष्यते, तेन अहं ज्ञान-यज्ञेन इष्टः स्याम् — इति मे मतिः ।
yaḥ ca imaṃ āvayoḥ dharmyaṃ saṃvādam adhyeṣyate, tena ahaṃ jñāna-yajñena iṣṭaḥ syām — iti me matiḥ |
And whoever shall study this dharma-laden conversation of ours — by him I shall be worshiped through the sacrifice of knowledge: that is My view.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
अध्येष्यते च यः इमं धर्म्यं संवादम् आवयोः । ज्ञान-यज्ञेन तेन अहम् इष्टः स्याम् इति मे मतिः ॥
adhyeṣyate ca yaḥ imaṃ dharmyaṃ saṃvādam āvayoḥ | jñāna-yajñena tena aham iṣṭaḥ syām iti me matiḥ ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
अध्येष्यते adhyeṣyate अधि + √इ fut. (future) 3sg.ātm. (ātmanepada / middle voice) will study
च ca ind. (indeclinable) and
यः yaḥ यद् (pron. (pronoun)) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. who
इमम् imam इदम् (pron. (pronoun)) acc.sg. (accusative singular)m. this
धर्म्यम् dharmyam धर्म्य (adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)m. dharma-laden
संवादम् saṃvādam संवाद (m.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) dialogue
आवयोः āvayoḥ अस्मद् (pron. (pronoun)) gen.du. (genitive dual) of us two
ज्ञान-यज्ञेन jñāna-yajñena tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) ins.sg. (instrumental singular)m. by jñāna-yajña
तेन tena तद् (pron. (pronoun)) ins.sg. (instrumental singular)m. by him
अहम् aham अस्मद् (pron. (pronoun)) nom.sg. (nominative singular) I
इष्टः iṣṭaḥ √यज् p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. worshiped
स्याम् syām √अस् opt. (optative) 1sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) may be
इति iti ind. (indeclinable) thus
मे me अस्मद् (pron. (pronoun)) gen.sg. (genitive singular) of Me
मतिः matiḥ मति (f.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) view
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
70. It is My conviction that he who studies this sacred conversation between us two will have worshipped Me through the sacrifice of knowledge. [Note: In chapter four Kṛṣṇa stated the the sacrifice of knowledge was superior to the sacrifice of materials.]
Commentary

This verse speaks of the results of studying this scripture.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
70. It is my conviction that he who studies this sacred conversation between us two will have worshipped Me through the sacrifice of knowledge. [Note: In chapter four Kṛṣṇa stated the the sacrifice of knowledge was superior to the sacrifice of materials.]
Commentary

This verse describes the results for one who studies the Gītā. I will have been worshipped (iṣṭaḥ) by the jñāna yajña described previously in chapter four, just by the study of the Gītā. This is my opinion. I am easily attained by the person who studies the Gītā.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Benediction for the student

THEME: “One who studies this sacred conversion of ours, worships Me by his intelligence”

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
18.70 Ca, and; even he yah, who; adhyesyate, will study; imam, this; samvadam, conversation, the text in the form of a dialogue; between avayoh, us two; which is dharmyam, conducive to virtue, not divorced from virtue; tena, by him; this will be accomplished through that study; aham, I; syam, shall be; istah, adored; jnana-yajnena, through the Sacrifice in the form of Knowledge. Iti, this is me, My; matih, judgement. As compared with the various sacrifices, viz rituals, loud prayer, prayer uttered in a low voice and mental prayer, the Sacrifice in the from of Knowledge is the best [See 4.33.] because it is mental. Hence, the study of the scripture Gita is praised as that Sacrifice in the form of Knowledge. Or, this (verse) may merely be a judgement about the result. The idea is that the result of the study is comparable to the result of the Sacrifice in the form of the knowledge of gods and others. Now, this is the reward for the hearer:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
18.70 He who will study the dialogue between us, which is consistent with the path to realisation, by him I shall be worshipped through the sacrifice of knowledge. Such is My view. The meaning is that whateve sacrifice of knowledge is taught herein, by that I shall become worshipped by the mere fact of its study.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
18.70 See Comment under 18.72
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
18.70 And he who will study this sacred dialogue of ours, by him I shall have been worshipped by the sacrifice of wisdom, such is My conviction.
Commentary

18.70 अध्येष्यते shall study? च and? यः who? इमम् this? धर्म्यम् sacred? संवादम् dialogue? आवयोः of ours? ज्ञानयज्ञेन by the sacrifice of wisdom? तेन by him? अहम् I? इष्टः worshipped? स्याम् (I) shall have been? इति thus? मे My? मतिः conviction. Commentary There are four kinds of sacrifice -- Vidhi? Japa? Upamsu and Manasa. Vidhi is ritual. Japa is recitation of a Mantra. Upamsu is Japa done in a whisper. Of the four kinds? JnanaYajna or the wisdomsacrifice comes under Manasa and is? therefore? the highest. The Gita is eulogised as a JnanaYajna. He who studies this scripture with faith and devotion will attain the fruit that is eal to that of performing JnanaYajna or meditation on a deity and the like.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
18.70 And he who will study this sacred conversation between us two, which is conducive to virtue, by him I shall be adored through the Sacrifice in the form of Knowledge. This is My judgement.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
18.70 He who will study this spiritual discourse of ours, I assure thee, he shall thereby worship Me at the altar of Wisdom.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Dana (Charity / Generosity)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Yajña (Sacrifice / Spirit of Offering)Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)
Related verses
BG 4.28 BG 3.9 BG 9.14 SB 1.1.2 SB 12.13.1 SB 11.14.27 CC Antya 1.191 CC Madhya 25.264 CC Madhya 24.320 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.2.10BRS 1.2.85
Concepts
YajnaDharma
Study Q&A referencing this verse
Sciences essays referencing this verse
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Whoever studies this sacred conversation between us — by him I am worshipped through sacrifice of knowledge.
Practical Applications
  • Treat your reading of the Gītā as a yajña — knowledge-sacrifice.
  • Don't read it like ordinary literature.
  • Honor the conversation.
Reflection Questions
  • Have I been reading like ordinary literature?
  • What sacramental shift is offered?
Analogy

A scholar of sacred texts who studies the Gītā with attentive devotion offers a jñāna-yajña — the fire of his attention is itself the sacrificial flame. The text is the altar; the study is the oblation; the Lord receives the offering as worship.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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