SB 2.6.25

TEXT 25

TEXT

वस्तून्योषधयः स्नेहा रसलोहमृदो जलम् ।
ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि चातुर्होत्रं च सत्तम ॥ २५ ॥

vastunyosadhayah sneha

rasa-loha-mrdo jalam

rco yajumsi samani

catur-hotram ca sattama

vastuni-utensils; osadhayah-grains; snehah-clarified butter; rasa-loha-mrdah-honey, gold and earth; jalam-water; rcah-the Rg-veda; yajumsi-the Yajur-veda; samani-the Sama-veda; catur-hotram-four persons conducting the performance; ca-all these; sattama-O most pious one.

TRANSLATION

Other requirements are utensils, grains, clarified butter, honey, gold, earth, water, Rg-veda, Yajur-veda, Sama-veda and four priests to perform the sacrifice.

PURPORT

To perform a sacrifice successfully, at least four expert priests are needed: one who can offer (hota), one who can chant (udgata), one who can kindle the sacrificial fire (brahma) without the aid of separate fire, and one who can chant the hymns. Such sacrifices were conducted from the birth of Brahma, the first living creature, and were carried on till the reign of Maharaja Yudhisthira. But such expert brahmana priests are very rare in this age of corruption and quarrel, and therefore in the present age only the yajna of chanting the holy name of the Lord is recommended. The scriptures enjoin:

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha.

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