118
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 4, Ch. 4]
TEXT 10
जगर्ह सामर्षविपन्नया गिरा  
 शिवद्विषं धूमपथश्रमस्यम् ।  
 स्वतेजसा भूतगणान् समुत्थितान्  
 निगृह्य देवी जगतोऽभिभृष्वतः ॥१०॥
jagarha sāmarṣa-vipannayā girā  
 śiva-dviṣam dhūma-patha-śrama-smayam  
 sva-tejasā bhūta-gaṇān samutthitān  
 nigrhya devī jagato 'bhiśṛṇvataḥ
jagarha —began to condemn;  sā —she;  amarṣa-vipannayā —indistinct through anger;  girā —with words;  śiva-dviṣam —the enemy of Lord Śiva;  dhūma-patha —in sacrifices;  śrama —by troubles;  smayam —very proud;  sva-tejasā —by her order;  bhūta-gaṇān —the ghosts;  samutthitān —ready (to injure Dakṣa);  nigrhya —stopped;  devī —Satī;  jagataḥ —in the presence of all;  abhiśṛṇvataḥ —being heard.
TRANSLATION
The followers of Lord Śiva, the ghosts, were ready to injure or kill Dakṣa, but Satī stopped them by her order. She was very angry and sorrowful, and in that mood she began to condemn the process of sacrificial fruitive activities and persons who are very proud of such unnecessary and troublesome sacrifices. She especially condemned her father, speaking against him in the presence of all.
PURPORT
The process of offering sacrifices is especially meant to satisfy Viṣṇu, who is called Yajñeśa because He is the enjoyer of the fruits of all sacrifice.  Bhagavad-gītā  also confirms this fact. The Lord says,  bhoktāram yajña-tapasām  (Bg. 5.29). He is the actual beneficiary of all sacrifices. Not knowing this fact, less intelligent men offer sacrifices for some material benefit. To derive personal material benefit for sense gratification is the reason persons like Dakṣa and his followers perform sacrifices. Such sacrifices are condemned here as a labor of love without actual profit. This is confirmed in  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam . One may prosecute the Vedic injunctions of offering sacrifices and other fruitive activities, but if by such activities one does not develop attraction for Viṣṇu, they are useless labors. One who has developed love for Viṣṇu must develop love