There are few in this world who do not know the price one has to pay for everything. All of us have at some point of time or other spoken about the price that we have paid for the success, name, fame, power or position that we hold close to our hearts. Believe me it is the same case in the spiritual path too. We have many ahuthis (offerings) to make before we conclude or reap the benefits of the yagna (sacrifice).
When you want good marks in the exam, your time and self control is the sacrifice. When you want power in this world, your personal time with your family and friends is the sacrifice. When you want fame it is sheer hard work, intelligence and will power that comes as sacrifice. Now there is nothing in this world that can be gained without the appropriate sacrifice. Well, the list is endless!!!
A sadhak (spiritual seeker) too must pay all the prices to reach Brahman. At every stage he has to sacrifice in order to reach the next level. In fact the sacrifices here are more subtle as the path is dealing with the inner personality. Chapter 4 of the Bhagavad Gita deals elaborately with all the yagnas.
However, the point here is not the sacrifices but the attitude behind the same. When all these ahuthis are given with a sense of detachment, we accrue enlightenment. After all the state of Brahman is that of total detachment. It is that state where one is paripoorna (all full nature) and therefore has no more desires.
When one has learnt to detach oneself from the karma one does, one reaches the state of Brahman. Lives in Eternal Bliss! This may sound as a Utopian idea, but nonetheless is very much possible to achieve!
A sadhak pays the price for everything in his path, but then in and through all his sacrifices he maintains an objective stance. He does not get carried away by the greatness or subtlety of his sacrifices. He does not attach great value to all the sacrifices he has made. This ensures his realizing the Self, nothing else!!!
Having attained that state of Paripoorna (all full nature) which is our essential Self, there is no greater attainment, there is no greater bliss, there is no greater knowledge; and having known (personal experience) That, there is nothing else to be known.