114 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 4

ca—and; sarvasah—on all sides; mpt—clay; daru—wood; ayah—iron; kaficana

—gold; darbha—kusa grass; carmabhih—skins; nisrsta—made of; bhandam—

sacrificial animals and pots; yajanam- sacrifice; samavisat—entered.
TRANSLATION

She then reached her father’s house where the sacrifice was being
performed and entered the arena where everyone was chanting the Vedic
hymns. The great sages, brahmanas and demigods were all assembled
there, and there were many sacrificial animals as well as pots made of
clay, stone, gold, glass and skin, which were all requisite for the sacrifice.

PURPORT

When learned sages and brahmanas assemble to chant Vedic mantras,
some of them also engage in arguing about the conclusion of the scriptures.
Thus some of the sages and brahmanas were arguing, and some of them
were chanting the Vedic mantras, so the entire atmosphere was surcharged
with transcendental sound vibration. This transcendental sound vibration
has been simplified in the transcendental vibration Hare Krsna, Hare
Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama,
Hare Hare. In this age, no one is expected to be highly educated in the
Vedic ways of understanding because people are very slow, lazy and
unfortunate. Therefore Lord Caitanya has recommended the sound
vibration Hare Krsna, and in the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is also recommended:
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah (Bhag. 11.5.32). At
the present moment it is impossible to gather sacrificial necessities because
of the poverty of the population and their lack of knowledge in Vedic
mantras. Therefore for this age it is recommended that people should
gather together and chant the Hare Krsna mantra to satisfy the Supreme
Personality of Godhead who is accompanied by His associates. Indirectly
this indicates Lord Caitanya, who is accompanied by His associates
Nityananda, Advaita and others. That is the process of performing yajia
in this age.

Another significant point in the verse is that there were animals for
sacrifice. That these animals were meant for sacrifice does not mean that
they were meant to be killed. There were great sages and realized souls
assembled who were performing yajfas, and their realization was tested
by animal sacrifice, just as, in modern science, tests are made on animals
to determine the effectiveness of a particular medicine. The brahmanas
who were entrusted with the performance of yajia were very realized
