तपस्विभ्योऽधिको योगी ज्ञानिभ्योऽपि मतोऽधिकः ।कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिको योगी तस्माद्योगी भवार्जुन ॥
tapasvibhyo 'dhiko yogī jñānibhyo 'pi mato 'dhikaḥ |karmibhyaś cādhiko yogī tasmād yogī bhavārjuna ||
- तपस्विभ्यः · tapasvibhyaḥ
- than ascetics
- अधिकः · adhikaḥ
- greater
- ज्ञानिभ्यः · jñānibhyaḥ
- than the learned
- मतः · mataḥ
- deemed
- कर्मिभ्यः · karmibhyaḥ
- than ritual workers
- तस्मात् · tasmāt
- therefore
- भव · bhava
- become
- अर्जुन · arjuna
- O Arjuna
“The yogi is greater than ascetics, greater even than the learned, and greater than ritual workers. Therefore become a yogi, O Arjuna.”
— Original plain-language translation
Yoga outranks austerity, scholarship, and bare ritualism in one sweeping ranking. Each excels at something partial; the yogi unites them. The direct command personalizes the whole chapter.
— Reader's notes (original)