All-pervading ‘Brahman’ is ever-established in sacrifice

Karma Yoga

Chapter 3, Verses 14-15

 

annād-bhavanti būtāni 

parjanyād-anna-saṁbhavaḥ 

yajñād-bhavati parjanyo 

yajñāḥ karma samud-bhavaḥ

 

karma brahmod-bhavaṁ viddhi 

brahmākṣara samudbhavam 

tasmāt sarva-gataṁ brahma 

nityaṁ yajñe pratiṣṭhitam

 

From food arise all beings; from rain, food is produced; from sacrifice comes rain; and sacrifice is achieved through activity. Know that activity springs from Brahman and Brahman arises from the imperishable Self; therefore, the all-pervading ‘Brahman’ is ever-established in sacrifice.

 

“From food arise all beings”. Here Krishna refers to the body of the human being. ‘Food’ refers to all kinds of food, including the food which the eyes have seen and the nose has smelled. “From food arise all beings” refers to procreation. What people eat, what people consume in the form of the subtle energy, accumulates in the bodies of both men and women. This subtle energy transforms itself into the reproductive power – the sperm in the man and the ovule in the women. The food of all the senses will determine the quality of the body of the mother and will attract certain souls who also have this kind of quality. Krishna says that the soul incarnates into a certain kind of body. If a person is pure in the mind and in the heart, they will always attract a very high level of soul. But if they are corrupt, they can’t expect their children to not be corrupt. The same kind of soul will incarnate with them. They will attract it.

 “... from rain, food is produced;” there are different kinds of food. Also here He says, “from sacrifice comes rain; and sacrifice is achieved through activity.” When one is offering oblations into the sacred fire, this kind of sacrifice has a great impact on the atmosphere. When one is doing this kind of sacrifice outside, rain will come. Doing sacrifice outside also means doing activities like charity, helping others, and performing austerities. When the body, speech and mind are used for the welfare of other beings, the rain caused by this kind of sacrifice will nourish all people and bring one to a higher state.

 

“Know that activity springs from Brahman and Brahman arises from the imperishable Self; therefore the all-pervading ‘Brahman’ is ever established in sacrifice.” Here Bhagavan Krishna says that one who is aware of the Self, knows that in whatever one does, it is the soul, the Atma, Brahman, it is Narayana Krishna Himself who is doing these activities.

He says, “Brahman arises from the imperishable Self”. Who is this ‘imperishable Self’? It is Narayana. Whatever one is doing in this state of mind, one knows that it is not him doing it: Narayana is doing it.

Brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma-havir brahm-āgnau brahmaṇā hutam brahmaiva tena gantavyaṁ brahma karma samādhinā (Ch. 4, v. 24 ) – everything is Him. Each activity, each sacrifice is Him. When one realises oneself, one sees that everything emerges from Him.

 

Krishna says that Narayana is the support and the sustainer of all, the one who sustains all and looks after everything. He is the all-pervading God who is present in the form of every sacrifice. So whatever duty you do in life, in a state of surrender to the Divine, know that it is also He Himself in the form of that duty. He rules over all the sacrifices and is the soul of all sacrifices. He is the all-pervading God: the sacrifice that He is offering is only Him. He is the One who is offering; He is that which is being offered; He is also the One who is accepting the offering. A realised soul perceives Narayana, the Supreme Self in everything: the food, the rain of Grace, the sacrifice that one is doing. One will not hang onto this ego, the ‘I’, and say, “I am doing this. I am doing that.” No. One will say, “He is doing this through me. It is only Him.” “Therefore, the all-pervading ‘Brahman’ is ever-established in sacrifice”. The Almighty Lord is Himself the sacrifice.

Bhagavad Gita