Text 34
nāham ijyā-prajātibhyāṁ
tapasopaśamena vā
tuṣyeyaṁ sarva-bhūtātmā
guru-śuśrūṣayā yathā
na — not; aham — I; ijyā — by ritual worship; prajātibhyām — the higher birth of brāhmaṇa initiation; tapasā — by austerity; upaśamena — by self-control; vā — or; tuṣyeyam — can be satisfied; sarva — of all; bhūta — beings; ātmā — the Soul; guru — to one’s spiritual master; śuśrūṣayā — by faithful service; yathā — as.
I, the Soul of all beings, am not as satisfied by ritual worship, brahminical initiation, penances or self-discipline as I am by faithful service rendered to one’s spiritual master.
The word prajāti here indicates either begetting good children or the second birth obtained by ritual initiation into Vedic culture. Although both of these are praiseworthy, Lord Kṛṣṇa here states that faithful service rendered to a bona fide spiritual master is still higher.