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 ||
婆罗门说道:“行事者与召请者——当安住于梵(Brahman)之性时——便成为诵祭官Hotṛ与行祭官Adhvaryu;而献颂赞者则成为歌祭官Udgātṛ。真理(ṛta)为主宰的引导者,其武器是正当的教诲。此内在祭祀的祭资(dakṣiṇā)乃是apavarga——究竟解脱(mokṣa)。”
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.