SB 7.14.16

Srimad-Bhagavatam - Seventh Canto - Chapter 14: Ideal Family Life

SB 7.14.15 - SB 7.14.17

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

TEXT 16

yarhy ātmano 'dhikārādyāḥ

sarvāḥ syur yajña-sampadaḥ

vaitānikena vidhinā

agni-hotrādinā yajet

SYNONYMS

yarhi — when; ātmanaḥ — of one's self; adhikāra-ādyāḥ — things possessed by him under full control; sarvāḥ — everything; syuḥ — becomes; yajña-sampadaḥ — paraphernalia for performing yajña, or the means for pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vaitānikena — with authorized books that direct the performance of yajña; vidhinā — according to regulative principles; agni-hotra-ādinā — by offering sacrifices to the fire, etc.; yajet — one should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

When one is enriched with wealth and knowledge which are under his full control and by means of which he can perform yajña or please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one must perform sacrifices, offering oblations to the fire according to the directions of the śāstras. In this way one should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT

If a gṛhastha, or householder, is sufficiently educated in Vedic knowledge and has become sufficiently rich to offer worship to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he must perform yajñas as directed by the authorized scriptures. Bhagavad-gītā (BG 3.9) clearly says, yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ: everyone may be engaged in his occupational duties, but the result of these duties should be offered for sacrifice to satisfy the Supreme Lord. If one is fortunate enough to possess transcendental knowledge as well as the money with which to perform sacrifices, one must do it according to the directions given in the śāstras. It is said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (SB 12.3.52):

kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ

tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ

dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ

kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt

The entire Vedic civilization aims at satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This was possible in Satya-yuga by meditation upon the Supreme Lord within the core of one's heart and in Tretā-yuga by the performance of costly yajñas. The same goal could be achieved in Dvāpara-yuga by worship of the Lord in the temple, and in this age of Kali one can achieve the same goal by performing saṅkīrtana-yajña. Therefore one who has education and wealth must use them to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead by helping the saṅkīrtana movement that has already begun—the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. All educated and wealthy persons must join this movement, since money and education are meant for service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If money and education are not engaged in the service of the Lord, these valuable assets must be engaged in the service of māyā. The education of so-called scientists, philosophers and poets is now engaged in the service of māyā, and the wealth of the rich is also engaged in māyā's service. The service of māyā, however, creates a chaotic condition in the world. Therefore the wealthy man and the educated man should sacrifice their knowledge and opulence by dedicating them for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord and joining this saṅkīrtana movement (yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32)).

SB 7.14.15 - SB 7.14.17