Category:Engaging in Sacrifices
Theme Analysis
Engaging in sacrifices, or yajña, is a central theme in Vedic culture. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that everyone must engage in sacrifices to ensure material prosperity (like rainfall and food grains) and spiritual progress. However, there is a distinction between fruitive sacrifices (karma-kāṇḍa) and the sacrifice of devotional service. The ritualistic sacrifices performed by the brāhmaṇas in Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, which were meant for elevation to heavenly planets, are contrasted with the pure devotion of their wives, who sacrificed everything for Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Prabhupāda also critiques the misuse of sacrifice for animal killing, noting that such rituals are influenced by the mode of ignorance. The ultimate purpose of engaging in sacrifices is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Yajña-pati, the Lord of sacrifice.
- The Purpose of Yajña: Sacrifices are meant to satisfy the Supreme Lord (bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasām). When the Lord is pleased, the demigods are pleased, and nature provides all necessities like rain.
- Ritual vs. Devotion: The story of the yājñika-brāhmaṇas illustrates that rigid adherence to ritualistic sacrifices can sometimes become an obstacle to recognizing the Lord, whereas simple devotion (as shown by their wives) is superior.
- Animal Sacrifice: In previous ages, animal sacrifices were tests of the power of Vedic mantras to rejuvenate the animal. In Kali-yuga, such sacrifices are forbidden and often misused for meat-eating, which Lord Buddha appeared to stop.
- The Perfection of Sacrifice: The highest sacrifice is the saṅkīrtana-yajña, or the congregational chanting of the holy name, which can be performed by anyone, anywhere, to please Lord Caitanya.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Engaging in Sacrifices - Yajña for the Pleasure of the Supreme.
Pages in category "Engaging in Sacrifices"
The following 54 pages are in this category, out of 54 total.
A
- A person's achieving perfection in devotional service simply by the causeless mercy of the Lord is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam in connection with the brahmanas and their wives who were engaged in performing yajna, or sacrifice
- A pure devotee who is always engaged in KC can sacrifice everything for the service of the Lord. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Lord Caitanya, Krsna and the spiritual master, is a devotee and cannot be compared to professional men
- A pure devotee who is always engaged in Krsna consciousness can sacrifice everything for the service of the Lord
- After the return of their wives from Krsna, the brahmanas engaged in the performance of sacrifices began to regret their sinful activities in refusing food to the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Akrura continued, "They (great sages and mystics) are very peaceful, and after giving up all kinds of material activities, they engage in the sacrifice known as jnana-yajna, the philosophical search for You (Krsna)"
- All the brahmanas who were engaged in the various activities of the sacrifice were very pleased with Lord Ramacandra, who was greatly affectionate and favorable to the brahmanas. Thus with melted hearts they returned all the property received from Him
- All these yogis (tapomaya, hatha, astanga, svadhyaya) are faithfully engaged in different types of sacrifice and are seeking a higher status of life. BG 1972 purports
- Although Maharaja Antardhana was engaged in performing sacrifices, because he was a self-realized soul he very intelligently rendered devotional service to the Lord, who eradicates all the fears of His devotees
- Although the companions of Lord Krsna and Balarama were simple cowherd boys, they were in a position to dictate even to the high-class brahmanas engaged in the Vedic rituals of sacrifice
- Although the Vedas contain instructions for pursuing knowledge (jnana), for practicing mystic yoga and for engaging in karmic activities in the form of sacrifices, the ultimate purpose of the Vedas is to accept KC after thoroughly studying the Vedas
- Asvini-kumaras once approached him and begged him to instruct them in spiritual science (brahma-vidya). Dadhici Muni replied, "I am now engaged in arranging sacrifices for fruitive activities. Come back some time later"
B
- Because King Pracinabarhisat was engaged in performing various sacrifices in which animals were killed, Narada Muni pointed out that such sacrifices are influenced by the mode of ignorance. From the very beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam
- Because of His desiring to control movement, His legs became manifested, from the legs the controlling deity Visnu was generated. By His personal supervision of this act, all varieties of human being are busily engaged in dutiful occupational sacrifice
- Brahma said, "Persons who are engaged in performing great sacrifices cannot attain the perfection of understanding You, but simply by devotional service these innocent village women and cows are all able to satisfy You with their milk"
- Brahma said, "You have drunk their (the innocent village women and cows) milk to satisfaction, yet You are never satisfied as much by those engaged in performing sacrifices"
E
- Every man is engaged in sacrificing his interests for others, either in the form of family, society, community, country or the entire human society. But perfection of sacrifices is attained when they are performed for the sake of the Supreme Person
- Everyone should engage in the performance of yajna, and the sacrificial fire should be ignited everywhere, the entire purpose being to make people happy, prosperous and progressive in spiritual life
F
- Following the instructions of the brahmanas, the ksatriyas should engage the populace in austerity, sacrifices, Vedic study and adherence to the rules and regulations established by Vedic principles
- From Karandhama came a son named Aviksit, and from Aviksit a son named Marutta, who was the emperor. The great mystic Samvarta, the son of Angira, engaged Marutta in performing a sacrifice (yajna)
H
- He (Narada) has compiled the Narada-pancaratra, a directory of devotional service, so that devotees can always take information about how to execute devotional service engage 24 hours a day in performing sacrifices for the pleasure of Godhead
- He (Srila Jiva Gosvami) comments that instead of engaging in such external, pompous exhibitions (of performing sacrificial demonstrations), all people, regardless of caste, color or creed, can assemble together & chant Hare Krsna to worship Lord Caitanya
I
- If her husband abandons KC & she gives up her connection with him, she follows in the footsteps of the dvija-patnis, the wives of the brahmanas who were engaged in performing sacrifices. The wife is not to be condemned for cutting off such a relationship
- In this verse (SB 4.29.49) the great sage Narada Muni directly insults the King (Pracinabarhisat) because he was engaged in performing sacrifices that entail the killing of a great number of animals
- It is not easy for a common man to remember the activities of his past life, but Bharata Maharaja could remember his past activities due to his great sacrifices and engagement in devotional service
K
- Karmis are engaged in performing very costly sacrifices in order to be promoted to the higher planetary systems. Similarly, yogis are engaged in achieving a similar goal by accepting the tedious practices of mystic yoga
- King Barhisman was engaged in different types of sacrifice for elevation to the heavenly planets. People generally are attracted by these activities, and very rarely is a person attracted to devotional service, as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu confirms
- King Daksa was always engaged in the pious activities of performing sacrifices, yet simply because of creating a little misunderstanding with Lord Siva, he was severely taken to task
- Krsna said, "They (the brahmanas) are now engaged in performing Vedic sacrifices known as Angirasa, for they desire elevation to the heavenly planets. All of you please go to them"
- Krsna went on speaking, "Engage yourselves in sacrificial activities and in the service of your husbands and household affairs so that your husbands will be pleased with you and the sacrifice which they have begun will be properly executed"
L
- Lord Buddha appeared when people were too much engaged in animal sacrifice without any purpose. Actually it was for eating only. In the name of Vedic sacrifice they were killing animals and eating - a propagation for animal eating
- Lord Krsna then asked all the boys to go again, but this time to the wives of those brahmanas engaged in sacrifices. He also informed them that these wives were great devotees
O
- O best of the brahmanas, Sukracarya, please describe the fault or discrepancy in your disciple Bali Maharaja, who engaged in performing sacrifices. This fault will be nullified when judged in the presence of qualified brahmanas
- O Kamsa, we (the ministers), who are your adherents in all respects, shall therefore kill the brahmanas (because Visnu lives wherever there are religious principles & sacrifices), the persons engaged in offering sacrifices and austerities - SB 10.4.40
- On hearing Suta Gosvami speak thus, Saunaka Muni, who was the elderly, learned leader of all the rsis engaged in that prolonged sacrificial ceremony, congratulated Suta Gosvami by addressing him as follows
T
- The brahmana descendants of Bhrgu, being very pleased with their disciple, who had conquered the entire universe, now engaged him in performing one hundred asvamedha sacrifices
- The brahmanas engaged as priests in the sacrificial ceremony were not ordinary brahmanas. They were so powerful that they could bring forth the Supreme Personality of Godhead by their prayers. Thus Maharaja Nabhi was able to see the Lord face to face
- The Lord also says in Bhagavad-gita (BG 5.29), bhoktaram yajna-tapasam. One may engage in performing sacrifices and severe austerities for perfection, but they are all meant to satisfy the Supreme Lord
- The opulence we possess is impossible for either you or your flatterers to imagine, persons who engage in fruitive activities by performing great sacrifices are concerned with satisfying their bodily necessities by eating foodstuff offered as a sacrifice
- The priests engaged in the sacrifice then informed King Anga: O King, we are properly offering the clarified butter in the sacrifice, but despite all our efforts the demigods do not accept it
- The proper execution of yajna, sacrifice, is required. As indicated herein (SB 4.16.5), King Prthu alone would induce all the citizens to engage in such sacrificial activities so that there would not be scarcity or distress
- The whole world is engaged in sacrificing energy for advancement of learning, social upliftment, economic development and plans for total improvement of the human condition
- There are others who engage themselves in the studies of different Vedic literatures, specifically the Upanisads & Vedanta-sutras, or the sankhya philosophy. All of these are called svadhyaya-yajna, or engagement in the sacrifice of studies. BG 1972 pur
- These brahmanas (engaged as priests in the sacrificial ceremony of Maharaja Nabhi) were certainly very expert in chanting the Vedic mantras. They were competent in the performance of the Vedic rituals, and over and above this they were Vaisnavas
- These people engage in austerity, sacrifice, Vedic study, regulative vows, and charity. Destroy all the people thus engaged
W
- When all the brahmanas engage in performing sacrifices in your kingdom, all the demigods, who are plenary expansions of the Lord, will be very much satisfied by their activities and will give you your desired result
- Whenever Antardhana, the supreme royal power, had to exact taxes, punish his citizens or fine them severely, he was not willing to do so. Consequently he retired from the execution of such duties & engaged himself in the performance of sacrifices
- Whether the brahmanas who were engaged in offering sacrifice, whether they were chanting the Vedic mantra in right way, that was tested by offering one animal and again giving the animal a new youth life. That was animal sacrifice
- While engaged in performing the sacrifice in the field known as Bhrgukaccha, on the northern bank of the Narmada River, the brahminical priests, the descendants of Bhrgu, saw Vamanadeva to be like the sun rising nearby