Shloka 7
Cāturhotra as Inner Sacrifice (Yoga-Yajña) and Nārāyaṇa Recitation
स्वगुणं भक्षयन्त्येते गुणवन्त: शुभाशुभम् । अहं च निर्गुणो5नन्तः सप्तैते मोक्षहेतव:
svaguṇaṁ bhakṣayanty ete guṇavantaḥ śubhāśubham | ahaṁ ca nirguṇo 'nantaḥ saptaite mokṣa-hetavaḥ ||
Brahmana itu berkata: “Fakulti-fakulti ini, kerana tersusun daripada guna (sifat), ‘memakan’ guna mereka sendiri—mengalami yang baik dan yang buruk sebagai objek deria. Tetapi aku tanpa guna dan tidak bertepi, tidak berkaitan dengan mereka. Apabila hal ini difahami dengan benar, ketujuh-tujuhnya—bermula dengan prāṇa (nafas hayat) dan pancaindera—menjadi sebab yang membawa kepada moksha (pembebasan).”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse distinguishes the guṇa-bound faculties (prāṇa and senses), which undergo and ‘consume’ auspicious and inauspicious experiences, from the Self that is nirguṇa and infinite. Liberation arises when one knows the Self as unattached and not identical with these guṇa-driven processes; then the very same faculties become instruments supporting release rather than bondage.
A Brahmin speaker is instructing about inner constitution: the senses and vital functions naturally engage with their objects and generate mixed moral results, but the true ‘I’ is beyond these qualities. He frames this insight as a practical turning point—understanding the Self’s separateness converts the ‘seven’ (prāṇa and related faculties) into means toward mokṣa.