Text 17] Ideal Family Life 165
na hy agni-mukhato ’yam vai
bhagavan sarva-yajna-bhuk
yyeta havisad rajan
yatha vipra-mukhe hutaih
na—not; hi—indeed; agni—fire; mukhatah—from the mouth or the
flames; ayam—this; vai—certainly; bhagavan—Lord Sri Krsna; sarva-
yajna-bhuk—the enjoyer of the results of all kinds of sacrifices; ijyeta—
is worshiped; havisa—by offering of clarified butter; rdjan—O King;
yatha—as much as; vipra-mukhe—through the mouth of a brahmana;
hutaih—by offering him first-class food.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, is the enjoyer
of sacrificial offerings. Yet although His Lordship eats the obla-
tions offered in the fire, my dear King, He is still more satisfied
when nice food made of grains and ghee is offered to Him through
the mouths of qualified brahmanas.
PURPORT |
As stated in Bhagavad-gita (3.9), yajndrthat karmano ’nyatra loko
*yam karma-bandhanah: all fruitive activities should be performed for
sacrifice, which should be directed toward pleasing Krsna. As stated
elsewhere in Bhagavad-gita (5.29), bhoktarar yajna-tapasam sarva-
loka-mahesvaram: He is the Supreme Lord and enjoyer of everything.
However, although sacrifice may be offered to please Krsna, He is more
pleased when grains and ghee, instead of being offered in the fire, are
prepared as prasdda and distributed, first to the brahmanas and then to
others. This system pleases Krsna more than anything else. Furthermore,
at the present time there is very little chance to offer sacrifices by pour-
ing oblations of food grains and ghee into the fire. Especially in India,
there is practically no ghee; for everything that should be done with
ghee, people use a certain type of oil preparation. Oil, however, is never
recommended for offering in a sacrificial fire. In Kali-yuga, the available
quantity of food grains and ghee is gradually diminishing, and people are
embarrassed that they cannot produce sufficient ghee and food grains.
