4.24 Brahman, five times over Krishna speaks
ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्महविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम्
ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना
brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma havir brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam
brahmaiva tena gantavyaṁ brahma-karma-samādhinā
The offering is Brahman, the oblation is Brahman, poured by Brahman into the fire of Brahman. Brahman is what such a one reaches, whose action is Brahman.
Explanation
The word Brahman five times in one line.
The offering, the oblation, the fire, the one pouring, and the destination.
Every role in the ritual is filled by the same thing, which is what 9.16 will do at greater length. There is no giver and no recipient left — the whole event is one substance.
Going further
Word by word
- brahma
- Brahman
- arpaṇam
- the ladle and other offerings
- brahma
- Brahman
- haviḥ
- the oblation
- brahma
- Brahman
- agnau
- in the sacrificial fire
- brahmaṇā
- by that person
- hutam
- offered
- brahma
- Brahman
- eva
- certainly
- tena
- by that
- gantavyam
- to be attained
- brahma
- Brahman
- karma
- offering
- samādhinā
- those completely absorbed in God-consciousness
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The word brahman five times in one line: the offering, the oblation, the fire, the one pouring, and the destination.
The verse does not describe a ritual so much as dissolve the distinctions a ritual depends on. If everything in the transaction is the same thing, there is no exchange happening — which is precisely the point being made about action done without a claim on its result.