Chapter 4 verse 25
“Some yogis perform sacrifice to devas alone (deva
yagna); while others offer sacrifice of the Self (Atman itself) as ‘sacrifice
by the Self’, in the ‘fire of Brahman’ (Brahma-yagna)”
The Lord is distinguishing about the various types of
yagna which he has already stated is done by the Self, for the Self and to the
Self as well. He says some people are dedicated to the worship of the devas
(dev-illumination) and here devas means the illuminated senses and hence
control of sense perceptions. Others go inward and directly worship the Self. We will see other
forms of worship or sacrifice in the coming verses. This is one of the verses
which could be misinterpreted literally as fire sacrifice only. Fire burns
everything including false tendencies. Fire sacrifice could also be used as an
important metaphor and symbolism to remind everyone that every action done in
the spirit of sacrifice to the Divine rids one of the cycle of birth and death.
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