Chapter 4 - Verse 25

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 ‘atman’—who 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 2-1).

“Brahman who is Consciousness and Bliss.” (Bri. Up. 5-9-28).

“Brahman who is immediately cognised by all, and who is the innermost Self of all” (Bri. Up. 3-2-1)

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.” (Bri. Up. 4-4-27).

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 Wisdom-Sacrifice (described in iv. 24) is here enumerated along with the Gods-Sacrifice (Daiva-yajna) and others, with a view to extol it (iv. 33).