Cāturhotra as Inner Sacrifice (Yoga-Yajña) and Nārāyaṇa Recitation
कतनिमन्ता ब्रह्मात्मा होताध्वर्यु: कृतस्तुति: । ऋतं प्रशास्ता तच्छस्त्रमपवर्गो ३स्य दक्षिणा
kartā nimantā brahmātmā hotādhvaryuḥ kṛtastutiḥ | ṛtaṁ praśāstā tacchastram apavargo 'sya dakṣiṇā ||
婆羅門は言った。「行為する者と招く者は、梵(ブラフマン)の本性に確立されると、ホートリ(Hotṛ)とアドヴァリュ(Adhvaryu)となり、讃歌を捧げる者はウドガートリ(Udgātṛ)となる。真理(ṛta)が主宰の導き手であり、その武器は正しい教示である。この内なる祭祀の祭資(dakṣiṇā)は、アパヴァルガ(apavarga)—究竟の解脱(mokṣa)である。」
ब्राह्मण उवाच
The verse internalizes the Vedic sacrifice: the roles of priests are mapped onto inner faculties, and the true ‘instrument’ of the rite is truth (ṛta). The highest ‘fee’ or fruit of this inner yajña is apavarga—liberation—implying that ethical truthfulness and right guidance culminate in mokṣa rather than worldly reward.
A Brāhmaṇa speaker explains a symbolic interpretation of sacrifice within the Ashvamedhika context, shifting attention from external ritual performance to an inward discipline where mental functions and moral truth become the real officiants and means, and liberation is presented as the ultimate outcome.