SB 5.5.23

Srimad-Bhagavatam - Fifth Canto - Chapter 5: Lord Ṛṣabhadeva's Teachings to His Sons

SB 5.5.21-22 - SB 5.5.24

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

TEXT 23

na brāhmaṇais tulaye bhūtam anyat

paśyāmi viprāḥ kim ataḥ paraṁ tu

yasmin nṛbhiḥ prahutaṁ śraddhayāham

aśnāmi kāmaṁ na tathāgni-hotre

SYNONYMS

na — not; brāhmaṇaiḥ — with the brāhmaṇas; tulaye — I count as equal; bhūtam — entity; anyat — other; paśyāmi — I can see; viprāḥ — O assembled brāhmaṇas; kim — anything; ataḥ — to the brāhmaṇas; param — superior; tu — certainly; yasmin — through whom; nṛbhiḥ — by people; prahutam — food offered after ritualistic ceremonies are properly performed; śraddhayā — with faith and love; aham — I; aśnāmi — eat; kāmam — with full satisfaction; na — not; tathā — in that way; agni-hotre — in the fire sacrifice.

TRANSLATION

O respectful brāhmaṇas, as far as I am concerned, no one is equal or superior to the brāhmaṇas in this world. I do not find anyone comparable to them. When people know My motive after performing rituals according to the Vedic principles, they offer food to Me with faith and love through the mouth of a brāhmaṇa. When food is thus offered unto Me, I eat it with full satisfaction. Indeed, I derive more pleasure from food offered in that way than from the food offered in the sacrificial fire.

PURPORT

According to the Vedic system, after the sacrificial ceremony the brāhmaṇas are invited to eat the remnants of the offered food. When the brāhmaṇas eat the food, it is to be considered directly eaten by the Supreme Lord. Thus no one can be compared to qualified brāhmaṇas. The perfection of evolution is to be situated on the brahminical platform. Any civilization not based on brahminical culture or guided by brāhmaṇas is certainly a condemned civilization. Presently human civilization is based on sense gratification, and consequently more and more people are becoming addicted to different types of things. No one respects brahminical culture. Demoniac civilization is attached to ugra-karma, horrible activities, and big industries are created to satisfy unfathomable lusty desires. Consequently the people are greatly harassed by governmental taxation. The people are irreligious and do not perform the sacrifices recommended in Bhagavad-gītā. Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ: (BG 3.14) by the performance of sacrifice, clouds form and rain falls. Due to sufficient rainfall, there is sufficient production of food. Guided by the brāhmaṇas, society should follow the principles of Bhagavad-gītā. Then people will become very happy. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni: when animals and man are sufficiently fed with grains, they become stronger, their hearts become tranquil and their brains peaceful. They can then advance in spiritual life, life's ultimate destination.

SB 5.5.21-22 - SB 5.5.24