Sacred Learning

Brahmārpaṇam

Bhagavad Gītā 4.24.

Canonical source text

ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् । ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ॥

IAST transliteration

brahmārpaṇaṃ brahma havir brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam | brahmaiva tena gantavyaṃ brahmakarmasamādhinā ||

Close translation

Brahman is the offering, Brahman the oblation; in Brahman’s fire, offered by Brahman. Brahman indeed is to be reached by one whose samādhi is Brahman-action.

Reader-friendly meaning

A Gītā verse used as a food-offering mantra: the whole act of giving is Brahman.

Meenananda editorial explanation

Before a meal in many houses this śloka is spoken. Here it also points back to its Gītā home, so food-grace and battlefield teaching stay one knowledge.

Practice context

Spoken before bhoga or a household meal, according to custom.

Word meanings

अर्पणम् — the offering
हविः — the oblation

BhG 4.24 vulgate; public domain Sanskrit. Sanskrit: public domain. Foundation translations: CC BY-SA 4.0.