Quiz · 4.24–4.33
Sacrifice widened
Cover the answer. Read the Devanagari of the verse before you open it.
1
In 4.24, what case is brahmāgnau (ब्रह्माग्नौ), and what case is brahmaṇā (ब्रह्मणा)?
Answer
brahmāgnau (ब्रह्माग्नौ) is locative singular, "in the fire that is Brahman (ब्रह्म)." brahmaṇā (ब्रह्मणा) is instrumental singular, "by Brahman (ब्रह्म)," the one who pours. The offering, the butter, the fire, and the pourer are all brahma (ब्रह्म).
2
4.33 recites dravyamayād yajñāj jñānayajñaḥ (द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः). Undo the joins. What happened to the two ablative endings?
Answer
द्रव्यमयात् + यज्ञात् + ज्ञानयज्ञः dravyamayāt + yajñāt + jñānayajñaḥ. t (त्) before y (य्) becomes d (द्). t (त्) before j (ज्) becomes j (ज्). Both endings are still ablative --āt (आत्), "than the sacrifice made of goods." jñānayajñaḥ (ज्ञानयज्ञः) is nominative, the sacrifice that is better.
3
Say 4.24 in one sentence.
Answer
The offering is Brahman (ब्रह्म), the butter is Brahman (ब्रह्म), poured by Brahman (ब्रह्म) into the fire that is Brahman (ब्रह्म); Brahman (ब्रह्म) itself is to be reached by that absorption in the act that is Brahman (ब्रह्म).
4
What is 4.24–4.33 doing in the talk between Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण)?
Answer
The sacrifice of 4.23 is opened until the offering, the butter, the fire, and the pourer are Brahman (ब्रह्म). Then comes a list: gods, senses, breaths, goods, austerity, study, restraint of breath. All of them are born of action, spread in the mouth of Brahman (ब्रह्म). The stretch ends by ranking the sacrifice of knowledge above the one made of goods, because all action comes to completion in knowledge.
5
Cover the English of 4.24. Which line shows you have the stretch?
Answer
brahmārpaṇaṃ brahma haviḥ (ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविः), and the fire and the pourer with them. If any one of the four is not brahma (ब्रह्म), stay there.