BhG 4.24

syntax

arpaṇam (offering) brahma (brahman) [asti] (it is),
haviḥ (oblation) brahma (brahman) [asti] (it is),
brahmāgnau (in the fire of brahman) brahmaṇā (by the brahman) hutam (offered in sacrifice) [brahma] (brahman) [asti] (it is).
tena (by him) brahma-karma-samādhinā (by one who is absorbed in the activities of brahman) brahma eva (brahman only) gantavyam (to be understood) [asti] (it is).

grammar

brahma	–	brahman 1n.1 n. – spirit, the Vedas (from: √bṛh – to increase);
arpaṇam	–	arpaṇa 1n.1 n. – placing, offering, delivering (from: √ṛ – to go, to reach);
brahma	–	brahman 1n.1 n. – spirit, the Vedas (from: √bṛh – to increase);
haviḥ	–	haviḥ 1n.1 n. – oblation (from: √hu – to offer into fire);
brahmāgnau	–	brahma-agni 7n.1 m.; TP: brahmaṇaḥ agnāv iti – in the fire of brahman (from: √bṛh – to increase, brahman – spirit, the Vedas; √ag – to move tortuously, agni – fire);
brahmaṇā	–	brahman 3n.1 n. – by the spirit (from: √bṛh – to increase);
hutam	–	huta (from: √hu – to offer into fire) PP 1n.1 n. – offered in sacrifice;
brahma	–	brahman 1n.1 n. – spirit, the Vedas (from: √bṛh – to increase);
eva	–	av. – certainly, just, merely;
tena	–	tat sn. 3n.1 – by that, by him;
gantavyam	–	gantavya (√gam – to go) PF 1n.1 n. – to be gone, to be accomplished, to be understood;
brahma-karma-samādhinā	–	brahma-karma-samādhin 3n.1 m.; TP: brahmaṇaḥ karmasu samādhineti – by one who is absorbed in the activities of brahman (from: √bṛh – to increase, brahman – spirit, the Vedas; √kṛ – to do, karman – activity and its result; sam-ā-√dhā – to put, to fix, to compose, to concentrate się, samādhi – union, concentration, harmony, samādhin – absorbed in ncontemplation);

textual variants

brahmaiva tena → brahma tenaiva (brahman just by him);

Śāṃkara

kasmāt punaḥ kāraṇāt kriyamāṇaṃ karma svakāryārambham akurvat samagraṃ pravilīyata ity ucyate ? yataḥ—

brahmārpaṇaṃ yena karaṇena brahmavid havir agnāv arpayati | tad brahmaiveti paśyati tasyātma-vyatirekeṇābhāvaṃ paśyati | yathā śuktikāyāṃ rajatābhāvaṃ paśyati tad ucyate brahmaivārpaṇam iti | yathā yad rajataṃ tac chuktikaiveti | brahma arpaṇam ity asamaste pade yad-arpaṇa-buddhyā gṛhyate loke tad asya brahma-vido brahmaivety arthaḥ |

brahma havis tathā yad dhavir buddhyā gṛhyamāṇaṃ tad brahmaivāsay | tathā brahmāgnau iti samastaṃ padam | agnir api brahmaiva | yatra hūyate brahmaṇā kartrā brahmaiva kartety arthaḥ | yat tena hutaṃ havana-kriyā tad brahmaiva | yat tena gantavyaṃ phalaṃ tad api brahmaiva | brahma-karma-samādhinā brahmaiva karma brahma-karma tasmin samādhir yasya sa brahma-karma-samādhis tena brahma-karma-samādhinā brahmaiva gantavyam |

evaṃ loka-saṅgrahaṃ cikīrṣuṇāpi kriyamāṇaṃ karam, paramārthato’karma brahma-buddhy-upamṛditvāt | evaṃ sati nivṛtta-karmaṇo’pi sarva-karma-sannyāsinaḥ samyag-darśana-stuty-arthaṃ yajñatva-sampādanaṃ jñānasya sutarām upapadyate | yad-arpaṇādy-adhiyajñe prasiddhaṃ tad asyādhyātmaṃ brahmaiva paramārtha-darśina iti | anyathā sarvasya brahmatve’rpaṇādīnām eva viśeṣato brahmatvābhidhānam anarthakaṃ syāt | tasmād brahmaivedaṃ sarvam ity abhijānato viduṣaḥ sarva-karmābhāvaḥ |

kāraka-buddhy-abhāvāc ca | nahi kāraka-buddhi-rahitaṃ yajñākhyaṃ karma dṛṣṭam | sarvam evāgni-hotrādikaṃ karma śabda-samarpita-devatā-viśeṣa-sampradānādi-kāraka-buddhimat-kartr-abhimāna-phalābhisandhimac ca dṛṣṭam | nopamṛdita-kriyākāraka-phala-bheda-buddhimat kartṛtvābhimāna-phalābhisandhi-rahitaṃ vā | idaṃ tu brahma-buddhy-upamṛditārpaṇādi-kāraka-kriyā-phala-bheda-buddhi karmāto’karmaiva tat |

tathā ca darśitaṃ karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyet [gītā 4.18], karmaṇy abhipravṛtto’pi naiva kiṃcit karoti saḥ [gītā 4.20], guṇā guṇeṣu vartante [gītā 3.28], naiva kiṃcit karomīti yukto manyeta tattvavit [gītā 5.8] ity ādibhiḥ | tathā ca darśayaṃs tatra tatra kriyā-kāraka-phala-bheda-buddhy-upamardaṃ karoti | dṛṣṭā ca kāmyāgnihotrādau kāmopamardena kāmyāgnihotrādi-hāniḥ | tathā mati-pūrvakām atipūrvakādīnāṃ karmaṇāṃ kārya-viśeṣasyārambhakatvaṃ dṛṣṭam | tathehāpi brahma-buddhy-upamṛditārpaṇādi-kāraka-kriyā-phala-bheda-buddher bāhya-ceṣṭā-mātreṇa karmāpi viduṣo’karma sampadyate | ata uktaṃ samagraṃ pravilīyate [gītā 4.23] iti |

atra kecid āhuḥ—yad brahma tad arpaṇādīni | brahmaiva kilārpaṇādinā pañca-vidhena kārakātmanā vyavasthitaṃ sat tad eva karma karoti | tatra nārpaṇādi-buddhir nivartyate | kintv arpaṇādiṣu brahma-buddhir ādhīyate | yathā pratimādau viṣṇv-ādi-buddhiḥ, yathā vā nāmādau brahma-buddhir iti | satyam evam api syād yadi jñāna-yajña-stuty-arthaṃ prakaraṇaṃ na syāt | atra tu samyag-darśanaṃ jñāna-yajña-śabditam anekān yajña-śabditān kriyā-viśeṣān upanyasya śreyān dravya-mayād yajñāj jñāna-yajñaḥ parantapa [gītā 4.33] iti jñānaṃ stauti | atra ca samartham idaṃ vacanaṃ brahmārpaṇam ity ādi jñānasya yajñatva-sampādane, anyathā sarvasya brahmatve’rpaṇādīnām eva viśeṣato brahmatvābhidhānam anarthakaṃ syāt | ye tv arpaṇādiṣu pratimāyāṃ viṣṇu-dṛṣṭivad brahma-dṛṣṭiḥ kṣipyate | nāmādiṣv iva ceti bruvate, na teṣāṃ brahma-vidyokteha vivakṣitā syāt | arpaṇādi-viṣayatvāj jñānasya | na ca dṛṣṭi-sampādana-jñānena mokṣa-phalaṃ prāpyate | brahmaiva tena gantavyam iti cocyate |

viruddhaṃ ca samyag-darśanam antareṇa mokṣa-phalaṃ prāpyata iti | prakṛti-virodhaś ca | samyag-darśanaṃ ca prakṛtaṃ karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyet [gītā 4.18] ity atrānte ca samyag-darśanaṃ tasyaivopasaṃhārāt | śreyān dravya-mayād yajñāj jñāna-yajñaḥ parantapa [gītā 4.33] jñānaṃ labdhvā parāṃ śāntiṃ [gītā 4.39] ity ādinā samyag-darśana-stutim eva kurvann upakṣīṇo’dhyāyaḥ | tatrākasmād arpaṇādau brahma-dṛṣṭir aprakaraṇe pratimāyām iva viṣṇu-dṛṣṭir ucyata ity anupapannam | tasmād yathā-vyākhyātārtha evāyaṃ ślokaḥ

Rāmānuja

prakṛtiviyuktātmasvarūpānusandhānayuktatayā karmaṇo jñānākāratvam uktam; idānīṃ sarvasya saparikarasya karmaṇaḥ parabrahmabhūtaparamapuruṣātmakatvānusandhānayuktatayā jñānākāratvam āha

brahmārpaṇam iti havir viśeṣyate / arpyate ‚nenety arpaṇaṃ srugādi / tadbrahmakāryatvād brahma / brahma yasya haviṣo ‚rpaṇaṃ tad brahmārpaṇam, brahma haviḥ brahmārpaṇaṃ haviḥ / svayaṃ ca brahmabhūtam, brahmāgnau brahmabhūte agnau brahmaṇā kartrā hutam iti sarvaṃ karma brahmātmakatayā brahmamayam iti yaḥ samādhatte, sa brahmakarmasamādhiḥ, tena brahmakarmasamādhinā brahmaiva gantavyam brahmātmakatayā brahmabhūtam ātmasvarūpaṃ gantavyam / mumukṣuṇā kriyamāṇaṃ karma parabrahmātmakam evety anusandhānayuktatayā jñānākāraṃ sākṣādātmāvalokanasādhanam; na jñānaniṣṭhāvyadhānenetyarthaḥ

Śrīdhara

tad evaṃ parameśvarārādhana-lakṣaṇaṃ karma jñāna-hetutvena bandhakatvābhāvād akarmaiva | āruḍhāvasthāyāṃ tu akartrātma-jñānena bādhitatvāt svābhāvikam api karma-karmaiveti karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed ity anenoktaḥ karma-pravilayaḥ prapañcitaḥ | idānīṃ karmaṇi tad-aṅgeṣu ca brahmaivānusyūtaṃ paśyataḥ karma-pravilayam āha brahmārpaṇam iti | arpyate ‚nenety arpaṇaṃ sruv-ādi | tad api brahmaiva | arpyamāṇaṃ havir api ghṛtādikaṃ brahmaiva | brahmaivāgniḥ | tasmin brahmaṇā kartrā hutaṃ homaḥ | agniś ca kartā ca kriyā ca brahmaivety arthaḥ | evaṃ brahmaṇy eva karmātmake samādhiś cittaikāgryaṃ yasya tena brahmaiva gantavyaṃ prāpyam | na tu phalāntaram ity arthaḥ

Madhusūdana

nanu kriyamāṇaṃ karma phalam ajanayitvaiva kuto naśyati brahma-bodhe tat-kāraṇocchedād ity āha brahmārpaṇam iti | aneka-kāraka-sādhyā hi yajñādi-kriyā bhavati | devatoddeśena hi dravya-tyāgo yāgaḥ | sa eva tyajyamāna-dravyasyāgnau prakṣepād dhoma ity ucyate | tatroddeśyā devatā sampradānaṃ, tyajyamānaṃ dravyaṃ haviḥ-śabda-vācyaṃ sākṣād-dhātv-artha-karma, tat phalaṃ tu svargādi vyavahitaṃ bhāvanā-karma | evaṃ dhārakatvena haviṣo ‚gnau prakṣepe sādhakatamatayā juhvādi karaṇaṃ prakāśakatayā mantrādīti karaṇam api kāraka-jñāpaka-bhedena dvividham | evaṃ tyāgo ‚gnau prakṣepaś ca dve kriye | tatrādyāyāṃ yajamānaḥ kartā | prakṣepe tu yajamāna-parikrīto ‚dhvaryuḥ prakṣepādhikaraṇaṃ cāgniḥ | evaṃ deśa-kālādikam apy adhikaraṇaṃ sarva-kriyā-sādhāraṇaṃ draṣṭavyam |

tad evaṃ sarveṣāṃ kriyā-kārakādi-vyavahārāṇāṃ brahma-jñāna-kalpitānāṃ rajjv-ajñāna-kalpitānāṃ sarpa-dhārā-daṇḍādīnāṃ rajju-tattva-jñāneneva brahma-tattva-jñānena bādhe badhitānuvṛttyā kriyākārakādi-vyavhārābhāso dṛśyamāno ‚pi dagdha-paṭa-nyāyena na phalāya kalpata ity anena ślokena pratipādyate | brahma-dṛṣṭir eva ca sarva-yajñātmiketi stūyate |

tathā hi – arpyate ‚neneti karaṇa-vyutpattyārpaṇaṃ juhvādi mantrādi ca | evam arpyate ‚smā iti vyutpattyārpaṇaṃ devatā-rūpaṃ sampradānam | evam arpyate ‚sminn iti vyutpattyārpaṇam adhikaraṇaṃ deśa-kālādi | tat sarvaṃ brahmaṇi kalpitatvād brahmaiva rajju-kalpita-bhujaṅgavad adhiṣṭhāna-vyatirekeṇāsad ity arthaḥ | evaṃ havis-tyāga-prakṣepa-kriyayoḥ sākṣāt karma kārakaṃ tad api brahmaiva | evaṃ yatra prakṣipyate ‚gnau so ‚pi brahmaiva | brahmāgnāv iti samastaṃ padam | tathā yena kartrā yajamānenādhvaryuṇā ca tyajyate prakṣipyate ca tad ubhayam api kartṛ-kārakaṃ kartari vihitayā tṛtīyayānūdya brahmeti nidhīyae brahmaṇeti | evaṃ hutam iti havanaṃ tyāga-kriyā prakṣepa-kriyā ca tad api brahmaiva | tathā yena havanena yad gantavyaṃ svargādi vyavahitaṃ karma tad api brahmaiva | atratya eva-kāraḥ sarvatra sambadhyate | hutam ity atrāpīta eva brahmety anuṣajyate | vyavadhānābhāvāt sākāṅkṣatvāc ca cit-patis tvā punātu ity ādāv acchidreṇetyādi-para-vākya-śeṣavat |

anena rūpeṇa karmaṇi samādhir brahma-jñānaṃ yasya sa karma-samādhis tena brahma-vidā karmānuṣṭhātrāpi brahma paramānandādvayaṃ gantavyam ity anuṣajyate | sākāṅkṣatvād avyavadhānāc ca yā te agne rajāśayety ādau tanūr varṣiṣṭheyādi-pūrva-vākya-śeṣavat |

athavārpyate ‚smai phalāyeti vyutpattyārpaṇa-padenaiva svargādi-phalam api grāhyam | tathā ca brahmaiva tena gantavyaṃ brahma-karma-samādhinā ity uttarārdhaṃ jñāna-phala-kathanāyaiveti samañjasam | asmin pakṣe brahma-karma-samādhinety ekaṃ vā padam | pūrvaṃ brahma-padaṃ hutam ity anena sambadhyate caramaṃ gantavya-padeneti bhinnaṃ vā padam | evaṃ ca nānuṣaṅga-dvaya-kleśa iti draṣṭavyam | brahma gantavyam ity abhedenaiva tat-prāptir upacārāt | ataeva na svargādi tuccha-phalaṃ tena gantavyaṃ vidyayāvidyaka-kāraka-vyavahārocchedāt | tad uktaṃ vārtika-kṛdbhiḥ –

kāraka-vyavahāre hi śuddhaṃ vastu na vīkṣyate |
śuddhe vastuni siddhe ca kāraka-vyāvṛttiḥ kutaḥ || iti |

arpaṇādi-kāraka-svarupānupamardenaiva tatra nāmādāv iva brahma-dṛṣṭiḥ kṣipyate sampan-mātreṇa phala-viśeṣāyeti keṣāṃcid vyākhyānaṃ bhāṣyakṛdbhir eva nirākṛtam upakramādi-virodhād brahma-vidyā-karaṇe sampan-mātrasyāprasaktatvād ity ādi yuktibhiḥ

Viśvanātha

yajñāyācarata ity uktam | sa yajña eva kīdṛśaḥ ? ity apekṣāyām āha brahmeti | arpyate ‚nenety arpaṇaṃ juhv-ādi | tad api brahmaiva | arpyamāṇaṃ havir api brahmaiva | brahmaivāgnāv iti havanādhikaraṇam agnir api brahmaiva | evaṃ vivekatavatā puṃsā brahmaiva gantavyaṃ, na tu phalāntaram | kutaḥ ? brahmātmakaṃ yat karma tatraiva samādhiś cittaikāgryaṃ yasya tena

Baladeva

evaṃ vivikta-jīvātmānusandhi-garbhatayā sva-vihitasya karmaṇo jñānākāratām abhidhāya sāṅgasya tasya parātma-rūpatānusandhinā tad-ākāratām āha brahmārpaṇam iti | arpyate ‚nenātmaiveti vyutpatter arpaṇaṃ sruvaṃ mantrādhidaivataṃ cendrādi tat tac ca brahmaiva | arpyamāṇaṃ haviś cājyādi tad api brahmaiva | tac ca havir homādhāre ‚gnau brahmaṇi yajamānenādhvaryuṇā ca brahmaṇā hutaṃ tyaktaṃ prakṣiptaṃ ca | agnir yajamāno ‚dhvaryuś ca brahmaivety arthaḥ | brahmāgnāv ity atra ṇi-kāra-lopaś chāndasaḥ | na ca samastaṃ padam iti vācyam | agnau brahma-dṛṣṭer vidheyatvād itthaṃ ca brahma-rūpe sāṅge karmaṇi samādhiś cittaikāgryaṃ yasya tena mumukṣuṇā brahmaiva gantavyaṃ sva-svarūpaṃ para-svarūpaṃ ca labhyam avalokyam ity arthaḥ | vijñānaṃ brahma ced veda ity ādau jīve brahma-śabdaḥ | vijñānam ānandaṃ brahma ity ādau paramātmani ca brahmārpaṇatvādi-guṇa-yogān nāsya prakaraṇasya paunaruktam | sruv-ādīnāṃ brahmatvaṃ tad-āyatta-vṛttikatvāt tad-vāpyatvāc ca iti vyākhyātāraḥ | tādṛśatayānusandhitaṃ karma-jñānākāraṃ sat tad avalokanāya kalpyate