Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8 - Akshara Brahma Yoga - Sloka 4

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission

The Worship of Iswara 1-8

1 Gita Sloka  every day - Chapter 8 - Alshara Brahma Yoga - Sloka 4

Adhibhutam ksharam bhavah purushah cha adhi daivatam I

Adhi yajnah aham eva atra dehe deh bhrutam var II sloka 4

आधिभूतं  क्षरः  भावः  पुरुषः च आधिदैवतं I 
अधियज्ञः अहं एव अत्र देहे देह भृतां वर II श्लोक 4

Adhibhuta pertains to the perishable nature and purusha is the adhidaivata.  I alone am the adhiyajna here in this body, O best of the embodied. 

The five elements - ether, air, fire, water and earth -  are designated as adibhuta. In contrast with the Brahman which is aksharam the elements are ksharam or perishable. The physical structure of Reality is made up of the elements. Though insentient in themselves, they get their distinctiveness by their clinging to the sentient. This fact maybe clarified through two examples. In articulation, the part that the consonant plays clinging to the vowel, is analogous to the function of the elements. Again the origin and function of the skin of a fruit are analogous to the par that elements play in the phenomenon. It is with the aid of the elements the sentient is revealing itself. Beings require the elements for their embodiment.

Purusha  is a word pregnant with etymological meaning. Literally it means "that by which everything is filled". It comesfrom the root  pri, to fill. Again, Pura or Puri  means a city or fortress. He who resides in the puri is the purusha. He is designated as  Adidaivata. He is Hrianyagarbha or the cosmic soul whose rays are the individual souls. All the beings in the universe are controlled by Hiranyagarbha.

Vishnu is identified with yagna. He designation as Adhiyagna is therefore appropriate. Divinity is present wherever an act of self sacrifice takes place. A sacrifice is at its zenith when the jivatman dissolves himself completely in the paramatman.  With the surrender of his individuality, his individual consciousness gives place to cosmic consciousness which is the paramatman. Therefore, wherever Adiyagna takes place, the presence of the Lord is patent there. Further, divinity is also patent in perfected beings. This is due to their having made oblation of themselves in the sacrificial fire of Iswara.  This is the sublimest act that a a human being can ever do.

He is truly a holy man whose body and mind are entirely dedicated to the Lord. He has no occupation other than being absorbed all the while in God. Knowing that the Lord is residing in the hearts of all, he devoutly serves them to the best of his ability. And these are the sure indications of a true man of God. 

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa