Text 18] The Characteristics of Rsabhadeva 159

enriched by first-class ingredients. They were executed in holy
places according to the proper time by priests who were all young
and faithful. In this way Lord Visnu was worshiped, and the
prasada was offered to all the demigods. Thus the functions and
festivals were all successful.

PURPORT

It is said, kawmara dcaret prajro dharman bhagavatan tha
(Bhag. 7.6.1). A ritual should be performed by young men, even boys,
at a tender age in order for the ritual to be performed successfully. From
childhood, people should be trained in Vedic culture, especially in devo-
tional service. In this way, one can perfect one’s life. A Vaisnava does not
disrespect the demigods, but on the other hand he is not so foolish that he
accepts each and every demigod as the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord
is master of all demigods; therefore the demigods are His servants. The
Vaisnava accepts them as servants of the Supreme Lord, and he worships
them directly. In the Brahma-samhita, the important demigods —Lord
Siva, Lord Brahma and even the incarnations and expansions of Lord
Krsna like Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu and all the other visnu-
tattvas, as well as the sakti-tattvas like Durgadevi—are all worshiped by
the process of worshiping Govinda with the words govindam adi-
purusam tam aham bhajami. A Vaisnava worships the demigods in rela-
tion to Govinda, not independently. Vaisnavas are not so foolish that they
consider the demigods independent of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. This is confirmed in Caitanya-caritamrta. Ekale isvara krsna,
ara saba bhrtya: the supreme master is Krsna, and all others are His
servants.

TEXT 18

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fagftaactenaaqacaty | 2c I

bhagavatarsabhena pariraksyamana etasmin varse na kascana puruso
varichaty avidyamdanam ivatmano ’nyasmat kathancana kimapi
karhicid aveksate bhartary anusavanam vijrmbhita-snehatisayam an-
tarena.
