The Deliverance of Sisupala 141

of life-giving beverage. On the day of extracting the soma juice, King
Yudhisthira very respectfully received the special priest who had been
engaged to detect any mistake in the formalities of sacrificial procedures.
The idea is that the Vedic mantras must be enuciated perfectly and chanted
with the proper accent; if the priests who are engaged in this business
commit any mistake, the checker or referee priest immediately corrects
the procedure, and thus the ritualistic performances are perfectly executed.
Unless it is perfectly executed, a sacrifice cannot yield the desired result.
In this age of Kali there is no such learned brahmana or priest available;
therefore, all such sacrifices are forbidden. The only sacrifice recommended
in the sastras is the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra.

Another important procedure is that the most exalted personality in
the assembly of such a sacrificial ceremony is first offered worship. After
all arrangements were made for Yudhisthira’s sacrifice, the next considera-
tion was who should be worshiped first in the ceremony. This particular
ceremony is called Agrapiija. Agra means first, and puja means worship.
This Agrapija is similar to election of the president. In the sacrificial
assembly, all the members were very exalted. Some proposed to elect one
person as the perfect candidate for accepting Agrapija, and others pro-
posed someone else.

When the matter remained undecided, Sahadeva began to speak in
favor of Lord Krsna. He said, ““Lord Krsna, the best amongst the members
of the Yadu dynasty and the protector of His devotees, is the most exalted
personality in this assembly. Therefore I think that He should without any
objection be offered the honor of being worshiped first. Although demi-
gods such as Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Indra, the King of heavenly planets,
and many other exalted personalities are present in this assembly, no one
can be equal to or greater than Krsna in terms of time, space, riches,
strength, reputation, wisdom, renunciation or any other consideration.
Anything which is considered opulent is present originally in Krsna. As an
individual soul is the basic principle of the growth of his material body,
similarly Krsna is the Supersoul of this cosmic manifestation. All kinds of
Vedic ritualistic ceremonies, such as the performance of sacrifices, the
offering of oblations in the fire, the chanting of the Vedic hymns and the
practice of mystic yoga—all are meant for realizing Krsna. Whether one
follows the path of fruitive activities or the path of philosophical specu-
lation, the ultimate destination is Krsna; all bona fide methods of self-
realization are meant for understanding Krsna. Ladies and gentlemen, it is
superfluous to speak about Krsna, because every one of you exalted per-
sonalities know the Supreme Brahman, Lord Krsna, for whom there are no
