Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 24

English Translation

The ladle is Brahman [Some translate as 'Brahman is the ladle৷৷.,' etc.-Tr.], the oblations is Brahman, the offering is poured by Brahman in the fire of Brahman. Brahman alone is to be reached by him who has concentration on Brahman as the objective [As an object to be known and attained. (Some translate brahma-karma-samadhina as, 'by him who sees Brahman in action'.)

Detailed Commentary

[In a Yajña (sacrifice), the oblation (āhuti) is paramount. That oblation becomes complete when it transforms into Agni (fire), meaning that the sacrificial substance (havya padārtha) loses any separate existence from the fire. Similarly, all spiritual practices (sādhana) become Yajña only when they merge into their ultimate goal (sādhya rūpa). In all Yajñas, the experience of the Paramātma-tattva (Supreme Self-principle) is not a mere feeling but a reality. Feelings pertain to transient objects. The Yajñas described in these verses, from the twenty-fourth to the thirtieth, fall under 'Karma Yoga'. This is because the Lord began this section by stating, 'tatte karma pravakṣyāmi yajñātvā mokṣyase'śubhāt' (4.16) - 'I shall declare unto you that action, by knowing which you shall be liberated from inauspiciousness.' And He concluded it with, 'karmajānviddhi tānsarvānevaṃ jñātvā vimokṣyase' (4.32) - 'Know all these to be born of action; knowing thus, you shall be liberated.' In between, He also said, 'yajñāyācarataḥ karma samagraṃ pravilīyate' (4.23) - 'The entire action of one who acts for Yajña completely dissolves.' The main point is that all actions of the performer of Yajña become 'Akarm' (non-action). If Yajñas are performed solely for the preservation of the Yajña tradition, all actions become Akarm. Therefore, all these Yajñas describe 'Akarm in Karma'.] 'brahmārpaṇaṃ brahma haviḥ' -- The instrument with which an oblation is offered into the fire is here called 'Arpaṇam' ('that by which something is offered'). One should consider that Arpaṇam to be Brahman itself. The sacrificial substances (havya padārtha) like sesame, barley, ghee, etc., which are offered, should also be regarded as Brahman. 'brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam' -- The one who offers the oblation is also Brahman (Gita 13.2), the fire into which the oblation is offered is also Brahman, and the act of offering itself is also Brahman—one should contemplate thus. 'brahmakarmasamādhinā' -- Just as the one performing the Homa (sacred fire ritual) perceives the Sruva (sacrificial ladle), the Havi (oblation), the Agni (fire), and all other elements as forms of Brahman, similarly, one who experiences the doer, the instrument, the action, and the substance in every deed as Brahman, attains 'Karma-Samādhi' (absorption in action as Brahman) in Brahman alone. That is, his entire actions are imbued with Brahma-buddhi (Brahman-consciousness). For him, all actions become Brahman itself. Apart from Brahman, actions have no separate existence of their own. 'brahmaiva tena gantavyam' -- Through this Karma-Samādhi in Brahman, for one whose entire actions have become Brahman, the fruit obtained is undoubtedly Brahman itself. This is because, in his perception, nothing has an independent existence apart from Brahman. This (twenty-fourth) verse is recited by the wise (śiṣṭajana) at mealtime, so that the act of eating also becomes a Yajña. Brahma-buddhi in the act of eating occurs in this way: (1) The hand, which is the instrument of offering, is also Brahman — 'sarvataḥ pāṇipādaṃ tat' (Gita 13.13) - 'Having hands and feet everywhere, that.' (2) The food substances are also Brahman — 'ahamevājyam' (Gita 9.16) - 'I am indeed the butter/ghee.' (3) The one who eats is also Brahman — 'mamaivāṁśo jīvaloke' (Gita 15.7) - 'A part of My own Self, having become the living being in the world.' (4) The digestive fire (jaṭharāgni) is also Brahman — 'ahaṃ vaiśvānaraḥ' (Gita 15.14) - 'I am the Vaishvānara (gastric fire).' (5) The act of eating, i.e., the act of offering food as oblation into the digestive fire, is also Brahman — 'ahaṃ hutam' (Gita 9.16) - 'I am the oblation.' (6) Thus, the fruit attained by the one who eats is also Brahman — 'yajñaśiṣṭāmṛtabhujo yānti brahma sanātanam' (Gita 4.31) - 'Those who partake of the nectar of Yajña-remnants attain the eternal Brahman.' Profound Insight: The nature of the world (Saṁsāra), a product of Prakriti, is essentially action (Kriyā) and substance (Padārtha). From a real perspective, Prakriti or Saṁsāra is Kriyā itself. This is because substance is never stable for even a moment; it undergoes continuous change. In reality, substance is merely a cluster of actions in the form of change. Only due to 'Rāga' (attachment) does substance appear to be primary. All actions are dissolving into non-existence (Abhāva). Therefore, Saṁsāra is of the nature of Abhāva. Only the non-acting principle (Akriya-tattva), Brahman, is of the nature of existence (Bhāva-rupa), and it is by its existence that the Saṁsāra, which is of the nature of Abhāva, appears to possess existence. The nature of Saṁsāra as Abhāva can be understood in this way: Saṁsāra appears to have three states—origination (Utpatti), sustenance (Sthiti), and dissolution (Prālaya); for example, an object originates, then remains, and finally perishes, or a human is born, then lives, and finally dies. If we ponder further, only Utpatti and Prālaya are sequential; Sthiti does not truly exist. For instance, if a person's full life span is fifty years, after twenty years have passed, his life span remains only thirty years. If we ponder further, there is only Prālaya, and no Utpatti; for instance, for as many years as a person has lived, for that many years he has already died. Thus, a person is dying every moment; his life is constantly moving towards death. Everything visible is constantly moving towards the invisible. Prālaya is synonymous with Abhāva, hence only Abhāva remains. The existence of Abhāva rests upon Bhāva-rupa Brahman. Therefore, only Brahman remains as Bhāva-rupa—'sarvaṃ khalvidaṃ brahma' (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 3.14.1) - 'All this indeed is Brahman', and 'Vāsudevaḥ Sarvam' (Gita 7.19) - 'Vāsudeva is all.'