Shloka 15

Cāturhotra as Inner Sacrifice (Yoga-Yajña) and Nārāyaṇa Recitation

Devanagari script

कतनिमन्ता ब्रह्मात्मा होताध्वर्यु: कृतस्तुति: । ऋतं प्रशास्ता तच्छस्त्रमपवर्गो ३स्य दक्षिणा

Transliteration

kartā nimantā brahmātmā hotādhvaryuḥ kṛtastutiḥ | ṛtaṁ praśāstā tacchastram apavargo 'sya dakṣiṇā ||

Translation

బ్రాహ్మణుడు పలికెను— కర్త మరియు నిమంతా బ్రహ్మస్వరూపంలో స్థిరపడినప్పుడు వరుసగా హోతా, అధ్వర్యు అవుతారు; స్తుతి చేసే వాడు ఉద్గాతా అవుతాడు. ఋతం (సత్యం)నే ఇక్కడ ప్రశాస్త; దాని శస్త్రం సమ్యగుపదేశం. ఈ అంతర్యాగానికి దక్షిణ అపవర్గం—మోక్షం.

Word by Word

• कतनिमन्ता: the doer/agent who invites/initiates (as a ritual functionary)
• कतनिमन्ता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कतनिमन्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्मात्मा: one whose self is Brahman / Brahman-souled
• ब्रह्मात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• होता: Hotṛ priest (invoker)
• होता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: होतृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अध्वर्युः: Adhvaryu priest (executor of the rite)
• अध्वर्युः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्वर्यु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृतस्तुतिः: one whose praise has been performed / duly praised
• कृतस्तुतिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतस्तुति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ऋतम्: truth; cosmic order
• ऋतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रशास्ता: the instructor/overseer (priestly functionary)
• प्रशास्ता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र-शास्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• शस्त्रम्: weapon; (here) instrument/means
• शस्त्रम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अपवर्गः: liberation (mokṣa)
• अपवर्गः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपवर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्य: of this; its
• अस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• दक्षिणा: sacrificial fee; honorarium
• दक्षिणा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (speaker)
• Hotṛ
• Adhvaryu
• Udgātṛ
• Brahman (as brahmātmā)
• ṛta (truth/order)
• apavarga (mokṣa)
• dakṣiṇā (sacrificial fee)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

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.

What is happening in the narrative?

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.