Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya 256

Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya

Chapter-8 Tāraka Brahma Yogaḥ

adhibhūtaṃ kṣaro bhāvaḥ puruṣaś-cādhidaivataṃ | adhiyajño’hamevātra dehe deha-bhṛtāṃ vara || 4 || 4. Adhibhūta (pertaining to matter) are those perishable things, O best of the embodied beings; the Adhidaivata (that which is superior to the gods) is the Puruṣa (individual Self). I Myself am the Adhiyajña (Principle of Sacrifice), here in this body. Commentary Adhidaivata connotes the individual Jīvātma which is superior to the gods like Indra, Prajāpati and other divinities. The Jīva is the experiencer of sound and the other sense pleasures, which originate from Indra, Prajāpati and the other gods. The seekers after prosperity and power should contemplate upon this state of being such an (absolute) enjoyer, as the end to be attained. But these higher material goals of wealth, power, etc., are all [still] impermanent. “Adhiyajña denotes one who is propitiated in sacrifices. Indra and others, to whom sacrifices are offered, are My manifestations. I dwell in them as their inner Self and I alone am the goal of sacrifice. The three groups of qualified aspirants should contemplate in this manner at the time of the performance of daily (nitya) and periodical (naimittika) rituals such as the Five Great Sacrifices (pañca mahā yajña).”