Some are sacrificers by substance, those who, with the thought of sacrifice, put their substance to use in holy places. Some are sacrificers by austerity, ascetics whose sacrifice is austerity. Some are sacrificers by yoga, those whose sacrifice is the yoga marked by breath-control, the drawing-in of the senses and the like. And others are sacrificers by recitation and by knowledge: those whose sacrifice is recitation, the study of the Ṛk and the rest according to rule, and those whose sacrifice is knowledge, the full understanding of the meaning of scripture, all of them ascetics, given to striving, of keenly honed vows, their vows well sharpened, made fine and keen. Further.

Some men of the discipline of action, who make substance their sacrifice, lawfully taking substances, strive at the worship of the gods; some in gifts, some in offerings, some in oblations; all these make substance their sacrifice. Some, who make austerity their sacrifice, make their standing in the harsh penances, the lunar fast, fasting, and the like. Others, who make discipline their sacrifice, make their standing in the reaching of holy fords and holy places; here the word 'discipline' (yoga), since the topic is the varieties of the standing in action, bears on that. Some are given to recitation, devoted to the practice of recitation; some are devoted to the practice of the knowledge of its meaning, men of restraint, given to striving, of firm vows and firm resolve.

Those who offer a substance are 'sacrificers by substance'; those who, with the thought of offering it to the supreme Lord, offer austerity there are 'sacrificers by austerity', and so on. This austerity is the oblation; one offers it into the fire that is Brahman for the worship of Him, and that is the offering. The thought of offering lies precisely in dedicating it to Him.