Text 25]
Yamarāja Instructs His Messengers
173
been dulled;  madhu-puṣpitāyām —in the flowery Vedic language describing the results of ritualistic performances;  vaitānike —in the performances mentioned in the  Vedas ;  mahati —very great;  karmaṇi —fruitive activities;  yujyamānaḥ —being engaged.
TRANSLATION
Because they are bewildered by the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Yājñavalkya, Jaimini and other compilers of the religious scriptures cannot know the secret, confidential religious system of the twelve mahājanas. They cannot understand the transcendental value of performing devotional service or chanting the Hare Krṣṇa mantra. Because their minds are attracted to the ritualistic ceremonies mentioned in the  Vedas —especially the Yajur Veda, Sāma Veda and Rg Veda—their intelligence has become dull. Thus they are busy collecting the ingredients for ritualistic ceremonies that yield only temporary benefits, such as elevation to Svargaloka for material happiness. They are not attracted to the saṅkirtana movement; instead, they are interested in dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa.
PURPORT
Since one may easily achieve the highest success by chanting the holy name of the Lord, one may ask why there are so many Vedic ritualistic ceremonies and why people are attracted to them. This verse answers that question. As stated in  Bhagavad-gītā  (15.15),  vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ : the real purpose of studying the  Vedas  is to approach the lotus feet of Lord Krṣṇa. Unfortunately, unintelligent people bewildered by the grandeur of Vedic  yajñas  want to see gorgeous sacrifices performed. They want Vedic  mantras  chanted and huge amounts of money spent for such ceremonies. Sometimes we have to observe the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies to please such unintelligent men. Recently, when we established a large Krṣṇa-Balarāma temple in Vṛndāvana, we were obliged to have Vedic ceremonies enacted by  brāhmaṇas  because the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, especially the  smārta-brāhmaṇas , would not accept Europeans and Americans as bona fide  brāhmaṇas . Thus we had to engage  brāhmaṇas  to perform costly  yajñas .