740414BG.BOM
Bhagavad-gita 4.25

Bombay, April 14, 1974
Pradyumna: (leads chanting) Translation: "Some yogis perfectly worship the demigods by offering different sacrifices to them, and some of them offer sacrifices in the fire of the Supreme Brahman."
Prabhupada: There are different types of yajna, sacrifices, and the person who offers sacrifices, he is called yogi. Daivam evapare yajnam paryupasate. Yajnam and yoginah. Generally, the Vedas are divided into three types of yajna: karma-kanda, jnana-kanda and upasana-kanda. Generally, the yajnas are performed for satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But one who hasn't got the chance of understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they offer different types of yajna for satisfying the demigods. Here it is said, daivam: "in the matter of satisfying the different demigods."
In the sastra it is recommended... After all, performance of yajna means to get the necessities of life. In the sastra it is recommended that "If you want this type of benefit, then you offer yajna or try to satisfy this kind of demigod." There is a list in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. "If you want education, you worship this demigod; if you want very beautiful wife, then you worship this goddess; if you want good health, then you worship this demigod; if you want victory..." So many ways.
And we have got different types of demands. So... But that is recommended in the sastra, in the Vedas, because gradually, one has to be taken to the transcendental position. To worship a type of demigod for certain type of benefit, at least it indicates that you can get the benefit from higher authorities. Indirectly the higher authority is accepted. Or otherwise we become atheist. To save the general people from atheism, there is recommendation for worship of different types of demigods.
Generally, they are recommendedfive: the sun-god, the Ganesa, the Visnu, Lord Siva and Durga, and... The sun-god I have already said. Five, pancopasanam. Five: the sun-god, the Ganesa, and the Durga-devi, then Lord Siva, and then Visnu. This is also gradual evolutionary. People in the most lowest stage of humanity, they are struck with wonder by the power. As soon as there is some electricity, they feel some power. So when there are power worshipers... The modern scientists, they are power worshiper. They have gone up to the sun-god. Not god, the sun globe. The power is received from the sunshine. So this is one stage, power. In this way, one after another, when one comes to the supreme powerful, Visnu, because that is the ultimate powerful...
So this is one type of yajna, understanding the supreme power. Just like I was talking a few minutes before, the power. But power is not ultimate. Ultimate is the conductor of power, or the powerful. Just like electricity. Electricity is power, but it is generated from the powerhouse. People generally understand that electricity is coming from the powerhouse. But the powerhouse is maintained by the resident engineer, a person. That is real understanding. Or just like this airplane is flying in the sky. A child may see what a wonderful machine is flying in the sky. He does know the importance of the pilot. The big gigantic airship can fly in the sky so long the powerful, or one who knows how to conduct the power, pushing the button. By pushing one button, the plane goes high, and pushing another button, it comes down. It is not automatically. Any machine you take. Nowadays wonderful machine, computer. That is also handled by an expert. Any machine you take, without an expert technologist, it cannot work.
So similarly, if you go on studying the power of material nature, you'll come ultimately to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita.
mayadhyaksena prakrtih
suyate sa-caracaram
hetunanena kaunteya
jagad viparivartate
[Bg. 9.10]
Actually Krsna says maya, "By Me," adhyaksena, "by My superintendency," mayadhyaksena, "everything is working." That is also confirmed in the Brahma-samhita, srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga [Bs. 5.44].
This power, material nature, is called Durga. So Durga, the material nature... Durga means the predominating Deity of this fort. Durga. Durga means "fort". And durga means "where it is very difficult to enter." The fort is fortified. Therefore it is called Durga. Ga means going, and duh means difficult. Therefore fort is... The Sanskrit name of fort is called durga. And the predominating deity, it is called Durga.
Similarly, this material world, universe, it is covered by seven layers, and one layer, the first layer is there, and the second layer is ten times thicker than the first layer. The third layer is ten times thicker than the second layer. In this way, this universe is covered tight, very fortified. And there are innumerable universe. They are clustered together. And all these universes together is called the material world. And this is a very fortified place, and the predominating deity of this material world... Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka [Bs. 5.44]. There is a power. That is called Durga. Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga, icchanurupam api yasya ca cestate sa [Bs. 5.44]. Although this Durga is so powerful that she can create, she can maintain and she can dissolve, the whole cosmic manifestation... It is so powerful. At any moment it can dissolute.
But she is working just like chayeva. Chaya means shadow. Just like you have your hand and here is the shadow. If the hand moves, then shadow moves. Therefore it is said chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga. (end)

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/bg/4/25/bombay/april/14/1974

If you Love Me Distribute My Books -- Srila Prabhupada