Sacred Learning

Bhagavad Gītā 4.24 (vulgate)

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, offered by Brahman in the fire of Brahman. Brahman is to be reached by one absorbed in action that is Brahman.

Reader-friendly meaning

The verse that many houses recite at bhojana: the meal itself is named as a rite whose every part is Brahman.

Meenananda editorial explanation

When the Ashram sits to eat, this line can be the grace. The mantra library prints the same Sanskrit as a household card.

Word meanings

ब्रह्म — Brahman
हविः — oblation

Gītā 4.24; also the public bhojana-mantra printed in the mantra library. Sanskrit: public domain. Foundation translations: CC BY-SA 4.0.