View source for After the creation, it was so announced that "If you want to be happy, you must perform sacrifices."

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{{terms|"After the creation, it was so announced that"|"If you want to be happy, you must perform sacrifices"|"You have to bother yourself in the yajna principle if you actually want to be happy"|"if you want to be happy in this world, there is no alternative without, I mean to say, performing sacrifices. That is recommended here"}}
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{{compiler|Laksmipriya}}
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{{first|17Mar14}}
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[[Category:Creation|2]]
[[Category:Announced|2]]
[[Category:If You Want To Be Happy|2]]
[[Category:You Must|2]]
[[Category:Performing Sacrifices|2]]
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<div id="Lectures" class="section" sec_index="4" parent="compilation" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2>
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<div id="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="0" parent="Lectures" text="Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures"><h3>Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureonBG3813NewYorkMay201966_0" class="quote" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" book="Lec" index="117" link="Lecture on BG 3.8-13 -- New York, May 20, 1966" link_text="Lecture on BG 3.8-13 -- New York, May 20, 1966">
<div class="heading">After the creation, it was so announced that "If you want to be happy, you must perform sacrifices."
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 3.8-13 -- New York, May 20, 1966|Lecture on BG 3.8-13 -- New York, May 20, 1966]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is prescribing something practical which can be adopted by every one and all, without any distinction. This point we have already discussed in the last day's meeting, that whatever you may be, it doesn't matter. You can realize the highest perfection of life, provided you work under the regulation of yajña. Yajñārthāt karma. There is no harm working, but the work should be done for the Supreme Lord, Yajña. Yajña means Viṣṇu. Because according to laws of nature, any work you do, it has got some reaction and we are bound up by those reactions. The Vedas also says, karmaṇā baddhyate jantuḥ, karmaṇā baddhyate jantuḥ, that "All living entities, they are bound up in the material encagement on account of their different kinds of karma, or work." But here is the point, that you shall not be bound up by the reaction of your karma if you act it on behalf of Yajña, or Viṣṇu, or the Supreme Lord. That is the secret. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra. Anyatra.</p>
<p>If you do not work for that supreme perfect, then you will be bound up and your, this encagement of body will continue. This encagement of body will continue if you work on your own responsibility and not for the supreme purpose of the Supreme Lord, Yajña, or Viṣṇu. That is the secret. Yajña means yajño vai viṣṇuḥ. It is śruti. Śruti means the Vedic literature, the Vedic hymns. They prove it, "Yajña means Viṣṇu." Viṣṇuḥ tu sārthaṁ karma samācara.(?) Therefore we have to work for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu. That is called Yajña.</p>
:saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā
:purovāca prajāpatiḥ
:anena prasaviṣyadhvam
:eṣa vo 'stv iṣṭa-kāma-dhuk
:([[Vanisource:BG 3.10 (1972)|BG 3.10]])
<p>The proof of the sacrifice, yajña, is mentioned in the Vedic scripture. After the creation, it was so announced that "If you want to be happy, you must perform sacrifices." Sacrifices.</p>
<p>The Vedic literature is created for guidance of the conditioned souls. Every living being who is in this material world is conditioned by the laws of material nature. And it is a chance, this creation, and especially this human body, is a chance to get rid of this material entanglement. And the chance is open by acting for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu. Saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā. Prajāḥ. Prajāḥ means the living entities, after being created, they were advised that "You perform yajña, or sacrifice, for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu. That will..." Anena, "By this," prasaviṣyadhvam, "you increase your enlightenment." Prasaviṣyadhvam. "And whatever you want, that will be satisfied by this yajña." Devān yajña. That sacrifice.</p>
:devān bhāvayatānena
:te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ
:parasparaṁ bhāvayantaḥ
:śreyaḥ param avāpsyatha
:([[Vanisource:BG 3.11 (1972)|BG 3.11]])
<p>Now, yajña is practically... According to the Vedic rituals, yajña, or sacrifice, is offered to different devas, demigods. There are hundreds and thousands of demigods mentioned in the Vedic literatures, and the whole portion is called upāsanā-kāṇḍa. Upāsanā-kāṇḍa means worshiping different demigods. But what are these demigods? The demigods are just like different parts of the whole body of the Supreme Lord. They are, so to say, just like the government of the king. There is one king, but there are many state officers. Just you can imagine that if for management of a city like New York you have got so many departments... As soon as we go to this chambers, we get so many departments: criminal department, civil department, and so many departments. So for management of these universal affairs, there are different departments also, so far we can get information from the Vedic literature. And each department there is a particular director. And Brahmā is considered to be supreme director of this universe. So this yajña, sacrifice, by Vedic rituals, they are indicated to pay different taxes to different demigods. But the Supreme Lord is above all. Therefore if one performs sacrifice for the Supreme Lord, he is immune from other obligations. That is also mentioned.</p>
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<div id="LectureonBG3811SeattleOctober221968_3" class="quote" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" book="Lec" index="118" link="Lecture on BG 3.8-11 -- Seattle, October 22, 1968" link_text="Lecture on BG 3.8-11 -- Seattle, October 22, 1968">
<div class="heading">The proof of this sacrifice, yajña, is mentioned in the Vedic scripture. After the creation it was so announced that "If you want to be happy, you must perform sacrifices." Sacrifices.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 3.8-11 -- Seattle, October 22, 1968|Lecture on BG 3.8-11 -- Seattle, October 22, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Now, this is the formula of spiritual realization, that we should not stop our working capacities, the prescribed duties in which we are engaged. That is not to be stopped. If we stop work and spiritual realization, for spiritual realization we leave this world and go to the jungle or Himalaya and sit down there for meditation, for spiritual realization, oh, how many people will be ready to do this thing? No. This is not for mass people. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is prescribing something practical which can be adopted by everyone and all without any distinction. This point we have already discussed in the last day's meeting, that whatever you may be, it doesn't matter. You can realize the highest perfection of life provided you work under the regulation of yajña. Yajñārthāt karmaṇaḥ. There is no harm working, but the work should be done for the Supreme Lord, Yajña. Yajña means Viṣṇu. Because according to laws of nature, any work you do, it has got some reaction, and we are bound up by those reactions. Vedas also says, karmaṇā baddhyate jantuḥ. Karmaṇā baddhyate jantuḥ, that "All living entities, they are bound up in this material encagement on account of their different kinds of karma, or work." But here is the point, that you shall not be bound up by the reaction of your karma if you act it on behalf of Yajña or Viṣṇu or the Supreme Lord. That is prescription. Yajñārthāt karmaṇaḥ anyatra ([[Vanisource:BG 3.9 (1972)|BG 3.9]]). Anyatra. If you do not work for that supreme purpose, then you will be bound up and your this encagement of body will continue. This encagement of body will continue if you work on your own responsibility and not for the supreme purpose or the Supreme Lord Yajña, or Viṣṇu. That is the secret. Yajña means yajña vai viṣṇu iti śrute. Śrute. Śrute means the Vedic literatures, the Vedic hymns. They prove it. Yajña means Viṣṇu. Viṣṇus tu sārthaṁ karma samācara. Therefore we have to work for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu. That is called yajña.</p>
:saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā
:purovāca prajāpatiḥ
:anena prasaviṣyadhvam
:eṣa vo 'stv iṣṭa-kāma-dhuk
:([[Vanisource:BG 3.10 (1972)|BG 3.10]])
<p>The proof of this sacrifice, yajña, is mentioned in the Vedic scripture. After the creation it was so announced that "If you want to be happy, you must perform sacrifices." Sacrifices.</p>
<p>The Vedic literature is created for guidance of the conditioned souls. Every living being who is in this material world is conditioned by the laws of material nature. And it is a chance. This creation, and especially this human body, is a chance to get rid of this material entanglement, and the chance is open by acting for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu. Saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā. Prajāḥ. Prajāḥ means the living entities. After being created, they were advised that "You perform yajña, or sacrifice for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu." That will... Anena, "by this," prasaviṣyadhvam, "you increase your enlightenment." Prasaviṣyadhvam. "And whatever you want, that will be satisfied by this yajña." Devān... Yajña, that sacrifice. </p>
:Devān bhāvayatānena
:te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ
:parasparaṁ bhāvayantaḥ
:śreyaḥ param avāpsyatha
:([[Vanisource:BG 3.11 (1972)|BG 3.11]])
<p>Now, yajña is practically, according to the Vedic rituals, yajña, or sacrifice, is offered to different devas, demigods. There are hundreds and thousands of demigods mentioned in the Vedic literatures. And the whole portion is called upāsanā-kāṇḍa. Upāsanā-kāṇḍa means worshiping different demigods. But what are these demigods? The demigods are just like different parts of the whole body of the Supreme Lord. They are, so to say, just like the government of the king. There is one king, but there are many state officers.</p>
<p>Just you can imagine that if for management of a city like New York, you have got so many departments. As soon as we go to these chambers, we get so many departments: criminal department, civil department, and so many departments. So for management of these universal affairs, there are different departments also, so far we can get information from the Vedic literature. And each department, there is a particular director. And Brahmā is considered to be supreme director of this universe. So this yajña, sacrifice, Vedic rituals, they are indicated to pay different taxes to different demigods. But the Supreme Lord is above all. Therefore, if one performs sacrifice for the Supreme Lord, he is immune from other obligations. That is also mentioned.</p>
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<div id="LectureonBG31316NewYorkMay231966_1" class="quote" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" book="Lec" index="120" link="Lecture on BG 3.13-16 -- New York, May 23, 1966" link_text="Lecture on BG 3.13-16 -- New York, May 23, 1966">
<div class="heading">People may say, "Why shall we bother myself about this yajña principle?" No. You have to bother yourself in the yajña principle if you actually want to be happy.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 3.13-16 -- New York, May 23, 1966|Lecture on BG 3.13-16 -- New York, May 23, 1966]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So far the techniques are required, we are present. The books are there. The literature are there. The authorities are there. Simply we have to agree. "Yes." Yes man. Simply you have to agree, "Yes," henceforward we shall become karma-yogī. Then, from that very point, your life begins. Karma-yoga. The yes man. Mind that, that instead of saying no to Kṛṣṇa... Just like Arjuna said no in the beginning: "No, sir. I am not going to fight. You don't try to induce me, my dear Kṛṣṇa." He argued so many things with Kṛṣṇa. Then, at the last moment, he said, "Yes. I shall fight." So from "no man" to "yes man," that's all. So we have to agree. We are now "no men." We say everything about God, "no." Now we have to learn "yes."</p>
<p>So you become yes man and begin this karma-yoga, beginning from your life of eating because eating you require. Without eating, you cannot exist. Therefore, Bhagavad-gītā teaches you that you begin your karma-yoga from the point of eating.</p>
:yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo
:mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ
:bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā
:ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt
:([[Vanisource:BG 3.13 (1972)|BG 3.13]])
<p>Now, people may say, "Why shall we bother myself about this yajña principle?" No. You have to bother yourself in the yajña principle if you actually want to be happy. The next śloka explains like this:</p>
:annād bhavanti bhūtāni
:parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ
:yajñād bhavati parjanyo
:yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ
:([[Vanisource:BG 3.14 (1972)|BG 3.14]])
<p>That... Now, why you should have to perform yajña? That is obligatory, not that you are very kind to prepare your foodstuff and offering to Kṛṣṇa. It is very kind. No. It is for your interest. It is for your interest. Why? Now, annād bhavanti bhūtāni. You have to eat. Can you say that "Without eating, I shall continue my life?" No. That is not possible. You have to eat.</p>
<p>Annād bhavanti bhūtāni. If you want to exist, if you want to maintain your body and soul together, then you have to take anna. Anna means foodstuff, or anna means grains, natural food. Generally, anna means foodstuff, and another technical meaning of anna—anna means grains, which is produced from the land for eating of the human being. For human being, so many things are produced from the land: the grains, the fruits, the vegetables, so many things. They are meant for human being. The grains are not meant for the tigers. The grains are meant for the human being. The fruits are meant for the dogs. The fruits are meant for the human being. The milk. The milk is produced by the cow, but it is not meant for the cow. It is meant for the human being. If you offer the milk, 30 pounds of milk, after milking the cow, and if you offer to the cow, it will refuse. It will refuse, "I don't want it." Give it dry grass? Oh, it will be very glad. It will be very glad. So everything is organized by the nature.</p>
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<div id="LectureonBG31617NewYorkMay251966_2" class="quote" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" book="Lec" index="122" link="Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966" link_text="Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966">
<div class="heading">If the senses of the body, parts of the body want to become happy, then he, the senses and the parts of the body, they have to supply foodstuff to the stomach. Similarly, if you want to be happy in this world, there is no alternative without, I mean to say, performing sacrifices. That is recommended here.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966|Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Just like you supply foodstuff to the stomach. That will be distributed. Suppose I have got very good cake. Now, the fingers holding the cake. Now, if the fingers think, "All right, it is a good cake. Why shall I supply to the stomach? Let us eat it." Oh, the fingers cannot eat. That is improper. There is a story in Sanskrit, udarendriyāṇām. Udarendriyāṇām. There was a meeting of all the parts of the senses, that, "We are working, and the stomach is sitting idly, and he is simply eating. So let us get into strike. We shall not work." Just like there is strike system now. Now, all the hands and legs and all parts of the body they, "No, no more we are going to work for the stomach." Now, what happened? Gradually the hand become weak, the fingers become, the eye could not see, the ear... Oh, they thought that "What is happening this? We are becoming weaker, weaker, weaker." Then they decided, "It was a mistake not to supply foodstuff to the stomach. It was good for us."</p>
<p>Similarly, by establishing a godless civilization we are not happy. We are not happy, just like the same way, not supplying foodstuff to the stomach, we are thinking of becoming happy. No, that cannot be. If the senses of the body, parts of the body want to become happy, then he, the senses and the parts of the body, they have to supply foodstuff to the stomach. Similarly, if you want to be happy in this world, there is no alternative without, I mean to say, performing sacrifices. That is recommended here. Evaṁ pravartitaṁ cakram. The circle is... The circle is described in the previous verses, that annād bhavanti bhūtāni ([[Vanisource:BG 3.14 (1972)|BG 3.14]]).</p>
<p>You subsist by eating grains. Of course, nowadays we have invented so many artificial foodstuff. But however artificially foodstuff, however flesh and other things we may take, without grains we cannot live. The grains must be there. The wheat and the rice and the paddy and the cereals, there must be there. So real foodstuff is anna. Anna means this grain. So by eating grains we subsist. Our life prolongs by eating grains. So annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. And grains are produced by proper rainfall. Rainfall is the main source of producing everything of our necessities of life. Without rainfall we cannot produce anything of the necessities of life.</p>
<p>We have got many necessities of life, not only grains. We require cotton for clothing. We require silk for luxury. We require valuable stones and jewels. All these are produced under certain circumstances of rain. Rain is falling on the sea and the ocean also. So there is purpose. Under certain constellation of the star, if the rain falls on the sea, it produces pearls and jewels. We have got this information from Vedic literature. So everything is produced, whatever you require.</p>
<p>Now, pasturing ground for the cows—the grass is produced by rains, and the animals, they eat the grass, and they produce milk. You require milk. So everything, the main source of supply is the rainfall from the sky. That is not under your control. So Bhagavad-gītā says, parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. Without rain, you cannot have any production. Nothing can be produced without rain. And without production you cannot live. But rain, regular rain, and regulative rain and useful rain will fall when you perform sacrifices, yajña. Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 3.14 (1972)|BG 3.14]]). And yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ. And you can perform yajña by working. Because yajña requires materials, so if you have no money, if you don't work, you cannot have money. So everything is a circle. It is nice circle.</p>
<p>Karma brahmodbhavam. And how to work, that is described in the Vedic injunction, that "You should work like this." We have all discussed. Niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ. So everyone has some prescribed duties. There are different classes of men. The intelligent class of men, the administrative class of men, the productive class of men, the laborer class of men—everyone has to work. And by working, by the result of the work, one has to perform yajña. And by regular performance of yajña, there will be regular rains. And by regular rains, there will be production sufficient to supply your necessities of life. So that is the circle. That is the circle.</p>
<p>So anyway, one has to work sincerely his prescribed duties. And by the result of such work, one has to offer sacrifices to please the Supreme Lord. That is the circle. And Lord Kṛṣṇa says, evaṁ pravartitaṁ cakram. Now, this circle, this moving circle, is... Just like the potter moves the circle to make production—you have seen—similarly, we have to move the circle. Circle means it is meant for moving.</p>
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