| 25. Other yogins
resort to sacrifices to Gods; in the fire of Brahman others offer the Self
by the Self.Some yogins, devotees to action, perform only sacrificial rites
in devotion to the Gods, while others who know Brahman, the Absolute, sacrifice
the Self by the Self in the fire of Brahman. The oblation (ahuti) in his
latter sacrifice is yajna, the Self,for yajna, is enumerated among the terms
synonymous with atmanwho is in reality one with Brahman, but who is conditioned
by the upadhis (such as buddhi) with all their attributes superimposed upon
Him. This oblation of the Self is poured by the Self into Brahman, here
termed fire, the place into which that oblation is poured: as described
in the following texts:Brahman is the Real, Consciousness, the Infinite
(Tait. Up 21).Brahman who is Consciousness and Bliss.Brahman who is immediately
cognised by all, and who is the innermost Self of all Brahman is devoid
of all characteristics of mundane existence (samsara) such as hunger and
thirst, inconceivable in any particular form of aspect, as taught by the
Scripture in the terms It is not thus, it is not thus.To know the conditioned
Self as identical with the unconditioned Brahman is to sacrifice the Self
in Brahman. This is the sacrifice which is performed by those who, having
renounced all action, are ever steady in their knowledge of the identity
of the Self with Brahman.This WisdomSacrifice (described in iv. 29) is here
enumerated along with the GodsSacrifice (Daivayajna and others, with a view
to extol it (iv. 33). |
