act is, all Sacrifices, in which injury is done to animal and
vegetable life are Sacrifices for Kshatriyas. The only Sacrifice that
Brahmanas should perform is Yoga.

1166. Sacrifices are always attractive for the fame they bring. Their
performance depends upon wealth. The acquisition of wealth leads to the
commission of many evil acts.

1167. The sense is that in former days when the true meaning of Sacrifice
was understood and all men performed them without being urged by the
desire of fruit, the beneficial consequences that flowed were the
production of crops without tillage (and without injury to animals that
live in holes and burrows). The good wishes the Rishis cherished for all
creatures were sufficient to produce herbs and plants and trees. May not
this be taken as an indication of the traditional idea of the happiness
of Eden before the fall of man?

1168. 'Bereft of wisdom' is explained by the commentator as implying the
non-attainment of emancipation.

1169. This verse is exceedingly terse and condensed. In the second line,
the words Brahmana vartate loke, literally rendered, mean 'who believes
that only Brahma exists in the world.' The commentator takes these words
as implying 'who regards every essential of Sacrifice as Brahma.'
Although I have followed the commentator, yet I think his interpretation
to be rather far-fetched. Why may not the words be taken in a literal
sense? He who takes Brahma to be all things and all things to be Brahma,
becomes sinless and deserves to be called a Brahmana. The last word of
the second tine simply means 'who does not regard his own self as the
actor.' The view expressed in the Gita is that we should do all acts
believing ourselves to be only agents or instruments of the Supreme
deity. Acts are His, we are only His tools. Such a conviction is sure to
guard us against all evil acts.

1170. What is said in verse 17 is that when Sacrifices are done from a
sense of duty, notwithstanding their incompleteness, they become
efficacious. It is only when they are performed from desire of fruit that
expiation becomes necessary if their completion be obstructed by any
cause. Having thus applauded the Sacrifices (represented by acts) of the
truly wise, other kinds of Sacrifices are indicated in verse 18. K.P.
Singha translates 18 correctly. The Burdwan version is erroneous.

1171. Swayajna is literally 'sacrifice in one's own self'; hence, Yoga,
Brahmam vedam is Pranava or Om.