Text 42]
The Sacrifice Performed by Dakṣa
255
person may take are only causes for his bondage. Everyone has to perform  yajña  according to the Vedic hymns. As stated in the  Veda Upaniṣad , fire, the altar, the auspicious full moon, the period of four months called  Caturmāsya , the sacrificial animal and the beverage called  soma  are necessary requisites, as are the specific hymns mentioned in the  Vedas  and composed of four letters. One hymn is as follows:  āśrāvayeti catur-akṣaram astu śrauṣaḍ iti catur-akṣaram yajeti dvābhyām ye yajāmahaḥ . These mantras, chanted according to the  śruti  and  smṛti  literatures, are only to please Lord Viṣṇu. For the deliverance of those who are materially conditioned and attached to material enjoyment, performing  yajña  and following the rules and regulations of the four divisions of society and of spiritual life are recommended. It is said in the  Viṣṇu Purāṇa  that by offering sacrifice to Viṣṇu one can gradually be liberated. The whole target of life, therefore, is to please Lord Viṣṇu. That is  yajña . Any person who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has dedicated his life for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, the origin of all Viṣṇu forms, and by offering worship and  prasādam  daily, he becomes the best performer of  yajña . In the  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam  it is clearly stated that in this age of Kali the only successful performance of  yajña  or sacrifice is  yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyaiḥ ; the best type of sacrifice is simply to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. This  yajña  is performed before the form of Lord Caitanya, as other  yajñas  are performed before the form of Lord Viṣṇu. These recommendations are found in the Eleventh Canto of the  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam . Moreover, this  yajña  performance confirms that Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Viṣṇu Himself. As Lord Viṣṇu appeared at the Dakṣa  yajña  long, long ago, similarly Lord Caitanya has appeared in this age to accept our  saṅkīrtana-yajña .
TEXT 42
देवा ऊतुः
पुरा कल्याणये स्वकृतमुदरीकृत्य विकृतं
त्वमेवाधस्तस्थिन् सलिल उरगेन्द्राधिशयने ।
पुमान् शेषे सिद्धैर्हृदि विमृशिताच्यात्यपदविः
स एवाद्याक्षणोर्यः पथि चरसि भृत्यानवसि नः॥४२॥
devā ūcuḥ
purā kalpāpāye sva-kṛtam udarīkṛtya vikṛtam
tvam evādyas tasmin salila uragendrādhiśayane