Canto 4: Creation of the Fourth OrderChapter 7: The Sacrifice Performed by Dakṣa

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.7.49

bhagavān svena bhāgena

sarvātmā sarva-bhāga-bhuk

dakṣaḿ babhāṣa ābhāṣya

prīyamāṇa ivānagha

SYNONYMS

bhagavān — Lord Viṣṇu; svena — with His own; bhāgena — with the share; sarva-ātmā — the Supersoul of all living entities; sarva-bhāga-bhuk — the enjoyer of the results of all sacrifices; dakṣamDakṣa; babhāṣe — said; ābhāṣya — addressing; prīyamāṇaḥ — being satisfied; ivaas; anaghaO sinless Vidura.

TRANSLATION

Maitreya continued: My dear sinless Vidura, Lord Viṣṇu is actually the enjoyer of the results of all sacrifices. Yet because of His being the Supersoul of all living entities, He was satisfied simply with His share of the sacrificial offerings. He therefore addressed Dakṣa in a pleasing attitude.

PURPORT

In Bhagavad-gītā (5.29) it is said, bhoktāraḿ yajña-tapasām: Lord Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, is the supreme enjoyer of all the results of sacrifices, austerities and penances; in whatever one may engage, the ultimate goal is Viṣṇu. If a person does not know that, he is misled. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu has nothing to demand from anyone. He is self-satisfied, self-sufficient, but He accepts the offerings of yajña because of His friendly attitude toward all living entities. When His share of the sacrificial results was offered to Him, He appeared very pleased. It is said in Bhagavad-gītā (9.26), patraḿ puṣpaḿ phalaḿ toyaḿ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: if any devotee offers Him even a small leaf, or a flower or water, if it is offered with love and affection, the Lord accepts it and is pleased. Although He is self-sufficient and does not need anything from anyone, He accepts such offerings because, as Supersoul, He has such a friendly attitude toward all living entities. Another point here is that He does not encroach upon another's share. ln the yajña there is a share for the demigods, Lord Śiva, and Lord Brahmā, and a share for Lord Viṣṇu. He is satisfied with His own share and does not encroach upon others'. Indirectly, He indicated that He was not satisfied with Dakṣa's trying to deny Lord Śiva his share. Maitreya addressed Vidura as sinless because Vidura was a pure Vaiṣṇava and never committed any offense to any demigod. Although Vaiṣṇavas accept Lord Viṣṇu as the Supreme, they are not prone to offend demigods. They give the demigods proper respect. Vaiṣṇavas accept Lord Śiva as the best Vaiṣṇava. For a Vaiṣṇava there is no possibility of offending any demigods, and the demigods are also pleased with the Vaiṣṇava because they are faultless devotees of Lord Viṣṇu.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness