Text 3] The Appearance of the Demon Vṛtrāsura
101
invented many powerful space vehicles, they cannot even go to the moon, not to speak of other planets. By direct experience one cannot learn anything beyond the range of human perception. One must hear from authorities. Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī, a great personality, says, “What I am describing to you, O King, is what I have heard from authoritative sources.” This is the Vedic system. The Vedic knowledge is called  śruti  because it must be received by being heard from authorities. It is beyond the realm of our false experimental knowledge.
TEXT 2
स वै बर्हिषि देवेभ्यो भागं प्रत्यक्षमुच्चकैः । अददद् यस्य पितरो देवाः सप्रश्रयं नृप ॥ २ ॥
sa vai barhiṣi devebhyo bhāgam pratyakṣam uccakaiḥ adadad yasya pitaro devāḥ sapraśrayam nṛpa
saḥ—he (Viśvarūpa); vai—indeed; barhiṣi—in the sacrificial fire; devebhyaḥ—unto the particular demigods; bhāgam—the proper share; pratyakṣam—visibly; uccakaiḥ—by loud chanting of the mantras; adadat—offered; yasya—of whom; pitaraḥ—the fathers; devāḥ—demigods; sa-praśrayam—very humbly in a gentle voice; nṛpa—O King Parikṣit.
TRANSLATION
O Mahārāja Parikṣit, the demigods were related to Viśvarūpa from his father’s side, and therefore he visibly offered clarified butter in the fire while chanting mantras such as “indrāya idam svāhā” [“this is meant for King Indra”] and “idam agnaye” [“this is for the demigod of fire”]. He loudly chanted these mantras and offered each of the demigods his proper share.
TEXT 3
स एव हि ददौ भागं परोक्षमसुरान् प्रति । यजमानोऽवहद् भागं मातृस्नेहवशानुगः ॥ ३ ॥