The formula is that we have to become detached from the result of the work and must be situated in full knowledge. In full knowledge. Unless we are situated in full knowledge, it is not possible to be detached from the work which you are doing. And that detachment and that knowledge, to be situated in full knowledge, is possible when we perform yajña, or sacrifice.
Now, today's subject matter is varieties of sacrifices, how we can perform different kinds of sacrifices. And what is the sacrifice? Sacrifice means yajñārthe karma. Just at the present moment our conception is that I am the proprietor of everything. Actually, I am not the proprietor. The Īśopaniṣad says that īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (Īśo mantra 1). "The Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead, or Kṛṣṇa, He is the proprietor." But by deluded by the illusory energy of the material existence, we are thinking that "I am the proprietor." Therefore in the scriptures, in Vedic scriptures, sacrifice is recommended.
Sacrifice means you give voluntarily. You give voluntarily. Because we have been so much attached to this material proprietorship, that . . . and without that attachment, there is no possibility of our becoming free from this material entanglement. But that attachment is very difficult to give up. Therefore sacrifice has been recommended, that "You sacrifice." You . . . it is . . . supposing that it is your proprietorship, you are the proprietor of everything, but you sacrifice, yajñārthe. Yajñārthe means "for the Supreme Lord."
So, so many sacrifices are recommended in various scriptures. So we shall try to discuss some of the sacrifices. Yajñāyācarataḥ karma samagraṁ pravilīyate (BG 4.23) . If we perform our duties, yajña, for the matter of satisfaction of Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord, then we shall not be bound up by the reaction of any work.
Now, that first thing is in the sacrifice according to the Vedic rites, there are five principal factors. What are those? There is sacrificial fire, altar, and the person who is offering the . . . generally, in the sacrifice grains and butter, clarified butter, is offered. So the sacrificial altar, fire, and the offering ingredients, grains and clarified butter, and the person who is offering sacrifice, three, and the result and the performance. These five things are there in the matter of sacrifice.
Now, Kṛṣṇa says that if these five things are transformed into Kṛṣṇa consciousness or Brahman realization, then the result will be that the man who is performing that sacrifice is sure to attain his spiritual salvation and go back to Godhead. This prescription is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, that:
- brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma havir
- brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam
- brahmaiva tena gantavyaṁ
- brahma-karma-samādhinā
- (BG 4.24)
Now, brahmārpaṇam. Sacrifice for whom? For the Brahman. And Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Brahman. Therefore sacrifice for Kṛṣṇa is brahmārpaṇam, means sacrificing for the Brahman, Supreme Brahman. Because Kṛṣṇa is described in the Tenth Chapter as the Parambrahman, the Supreme Brahman.
Brahman means . . . we are also all Brahman. Because we are all fragmental parts and parcel of the Supreme Being, Kṛṣṇa, therefore we are also Brahman. Just like particles of gold is also gold, similarly, we are fragmental portions of Kṛṣṇa. Do not understand that as material fragments. We are not material fragment. But just because we have no other conception at the present moment except material understanding, therefore I am just trying . . . this is translated into English as "fragment," but not like that material fragment.
Just like we have got a paper in our hand. If I tear into pieces, they become fragments. Then the original paper, the shape of the paper—no longer existing. It is not like that. The Upaniṣad says that:
- pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇam adaḥ
- pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate
- pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya
- pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate
- (Īśo Invocation)
The spiritual conception is that, that any number of fragments of the whole can be taken from the whole spirit, but still, the spirit whole is as it is. That is the description in the Vedic literature. We have got material idea, "One minus one equal to zero." But in the spiritual realm, one minus one equal to one. So these fragments, the fragments of the Supreme Brahman, Kṛṣṇa, we are.
So with that consciousness we have to sacrifice. Brahmārpaṇam brahma havir. And the thing which we are sacrificing, we have to understand that the things belong to the Supreme Brahman. Brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma havir brahmāgnau. And the fire which is on the altar, that is to be understood as the energy of the Supreme Brahman. And brahmaṇā hutam: and the person who is offering the sacrifice, he is also part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman.
In this way if we offer sacrifice, then brahmaiva tena gantavyam: the person who is offering such sacrifice is sure to attain spiritual salvation. This is brahma-karma-samādhinā. And the performance is just according to the Vedic injunction also. So in this way if we, I mean to say, execute the duties of our living condition, then the result will be that at the end we shall be attaining Brahman. And the whole process is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness.