SB 10.69.24

Srimad-Bhagavatam - Tenth Canto - Chapter 69: Nārada Muni Visits Lord Kṛṣṇa's Palaces in Dvārakā

SB 10.69.23 - SB 10.69.25

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Please note: The synonyms, translation and purport of this verse were composed by disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda

TEXT 24

juhvantaṁ ca vitānāgnīn

yajantaṁ pañcabhir makhaiḥ

bhojayantaṁ dvijān kvāpi

bhuñjānam avaśeṣitam

SYNONYMS

juhvantam — offering oblations; ca — and; vitāna-agnīn — to the sacrificial fires; yajantam — worshiping; pañcabhiḥ — five; makhaiḥ — with the obligatory rituals; bhojayantam — feeding; dvijān — brāhmaṇas; kva api — somewhere; bhuñjānam — eating; avaśeṣitam — remnants.

Translation and purport composed by disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda

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TRANSLATION

In one place the Lord was offering oblations into the sacrificial fires; in another, worshiping through the five mahā-yajñas; in another, feeding brāhmaṇas; and in yet another, eating the remnants of food left by brāhmaṇas.

PURPORT

The five mahā-yajñas, or great sacrifices, are defined as follows: pāṭho homaś cātithīnāṁ saparyā tarpaṇaṁ baliḥ—"reciting the Vedas, offering oblations into the sacrificial fire, waiting on guests, making offerings to the forefathers, and offering [a share of one's food] to living entities in general."

Śrīla Prabhupāda comments as follows on these sacrifices: "In another palace Kṛṣṇa was found performing the pañca-yajña sacrifice, which is compulsory for a householder. This yajña is also known as pañca-sūnā. Knowingly or unknowingly, everyone, specifically the householder, is committing five kinds of sinful activities. When we receive water from a water pitcher, we kill many germs that are in it. Similarly, when we use a grinding machine or take foodstuffs, we kill many germs. When sweeping the floor or igniting a fire, we kill many germs. When we walk on the street we kill many ants and other insects. Consciously or unconsciously, in all our different activities we are killing. Therefore it is incumbent upon every householder to perform the pañca-sūnā sacrifice to rid himself of the reactions to such sinful activities."

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, in his commentary on this verse, again points out that all the different times of the day were occurring simultaneously in Lord Kṛṣṇa's palaces. Thus Nārada saw a fire sacrifice—a morning ritual—and at about the same time he saw Lord Kṛṣṇa feeding the brāhmaṇas and accepting their remnants—a noontime activity.

SB 10.69.23 - SB 10.69.25