Jñāna Yoga · Verse 31
नायं लोकोऽस्ति यज्ञस्य न परोऽन्यः कुरूनन्दन | न तद्भुक्तं पुरोडाशाद्यं तद्भुक्तं प्रतिपद्यते
nāyaṃ loko 'sti yajñasya na paro 'nyaḥ kurūnandana | na tad bhūktaṃ puroḍāśād yam tad bhūktaṃ pratipadyate
There is no world for the sacrificer here nor the other, oh delight of the Kurus. What is not enjoyed here from sacrifice, that is enjoyed afterwards.
Value of sacrifice. Na ayam lokaḥ — not this world — indicates that the sacrificer transcends worldly rewards.
Na paraḥ anyaḥ — nor another higher world — indicates transcendence even of heavens. Puroḍāśa — ritual offering — represents fruits of sacrifice. What is not enjoyed here is enjoyed afterwards, but true sacrifice seeks beyond enjoyment: liberation, not reward.