Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa has now completed the teaching of the five stages of bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga is not one separate practice; it includes the whole range of spiritual disciplines — karma-yoga, upāsanā-yoga, and jñāna-yoga. In the previous verses, these were presented as a ladder suited to different levels of maturity.

In this verse, Kṛṣṇa gives a concluding comparison using four terms: abhyāsa, jñānam, dhyānam, and karma-phala-tyāga. Here abhyāsa means meditation or practice done mechanically, without clear understanding. It is still better than doing nothing, but it is the lowest in this particular list because the person may not know the meaning or significance of what is being practiced.

jñānam is better than such mechanical practice because it gives understanding. Here it means knowledge without meditation — one may understand what Bhagavān is through śāstra, but may not yet dwell upon that understanding. dhyānam is better than mere knowledge because it is knowledge combined with meditation; after understanding Bhagavān properly, we dwell upon that understanding and internalize it.

Then Kṛṣṇa says dhyānāt karma-phala-tyāgaḥ — karma-phala-tyāga is better than meditation. This can seem confusing because earlier karma-phala-tyāga was presented as the lowest step in the ladder. The point here is not to overturn the whole ladder. This is a deliberate praise of karma-phala-tyāga to encourage those who must begin there. Even at the beginning level, when we offer the result to Bhagavān and receive it as prasāda, peace comes immediately.

The last statement is the key: tyāgāt śāntir anantaram — after renunciation, peace follows immediately. When we hold results with egoistic ownership, the mind becomes anxious, proud, disappointed, or bitter. When we offer the result to Bhagavān and receive it as prasāda, the burden reduces, and peace begins.