Sumanda-matayaḥ and manda-bhāgyāḥ. Manda-bhāgyāḥ means unfortunate. People of this age, mostly they are not very fortunate. In any part of the world, they are not very fortunate. They do not get things, desirable things, very easily. Our desirable things are four things for living purposes: āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. Eating, sleeping, and defense, and mating. These are our generally, so far our body is concerned. So these things are also not easily available. So mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10).
And at the same time, in spite of all these disqualifications, they are always disturbed in mind. Why disturbed? Now, they are... Roga-śokādibhiḥ, for some lamentation and for some disease. So this is the condition of the people of this age, and it is very difficult for them to follow the system of sacrifice which was being performed in the older days.
Now, for them, in this age, Lord Caitanya recommended this sacrifice, this saṅkīrtana-yajña which we are trying to perform here. Saṅkīrtana. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). Now, those who have got better brain, they will adopt this process of saṅkīrtana-yajña for satisfaction of the Supreme Lord. That will be helpful for the men of this age. That is recommended in Bhāgavatam.
Now, either you adopt this yajña or that yajña, according to your capacity, but you must have to perform yajña. Without yajña, you cannot be happy.
- yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo
- mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ
- bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā
- ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt
- (BG 3.13)
Now, pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt means cooking. The cooking is the most important business of our life. Cooking... Nobody... A human being... We are not cats and dogs, and every human being has to cook things for eating. Now, this eating process... The Lord says that one who takes the eatables after the sacrifice, then he becomes free from all kinds of sinful reactions. And one who cooks for himself, for enjoyment, then he eats all kinds of sins, all kinds of sins. Yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santaḥ. Santa. Santa means saints and sages. They do not take anything without offering yajña. At least, whenever you take something, if you offer the same thing to the Lord—"My Lord, it is by Your grace I have got this eatable. You kindly accept it and I shall take the remnants"—this is yajña. This is also yajña.
Just yesterday we prepared some food cooperatively and offered to Lord and performed saṅkīrtana, and we took it. This is the simplest process of performing yajña. Because we require food, so this was done here in this loft as a matter of example. But you can do it in your home also because you are cooking for your children, for yourself, for your wife, for family members. Now, if you cook nicely things which are to be offered to the Lord... Of course, we must be careful to prepare foodstuff, because we are going to offer to the Lord, and we must offer things which is acceptable by the Lord, at least. Of course, Lord can accept anything and everything. He is quite competent because He's all-powerful, almighty. But still, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said—the Lord says—patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: (BG 9.26) "Anyone who gives Me these four things: patraṁ, puṣpaṁ, phalaṁ, toyam... That means grains, vegetables, and flowers, fruits, all these things. Anyone who offers Me, I take that, offers with, tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam, with devotion." Not that God is hungry, and therefore He is hankering after your offering of foodstuff. Not that. He is quite competent. He has got many things to eat. It is practically His things we are eating. So, but still, if we prepare foodstuff in that way and offer to the Supreme Lord, then, after offering, if we take, then we become free from all sinful reactions.
That is stated here, yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante. Mucyante means he becomes liberated, freed from. What is that? Sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ: "All kinds of sinful reaction." That's all. (break)
They must be eating only sins, only sins. So we have to suffer the sinful reaction also. Ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt.
Now, the thing is... Now, it is very easy, work. You are going to the store. Just like yesterday, or day before yesterday, Mr. Carl and Mr. Paul went to some store: "Oh, tomorrow it will be yajña." So the things were purchased with the purpose of performing. The same thing, we are purchasing from the store, but we are thinking, "I shall eat." That... If you transfer that epithet only, that "This is... We are purchasing things for God's eating," so there is no loss on your part, but you perform yajña. You perform yajña. This practice has to be done. Yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ. If you practice this simple thing, then you become free from all sinful reaction. And if you don't do this, then what happens? Now, bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpāḥ. One who does not do this, he eats only sinful reaction, and he has to pay for that. He has to suffer for that. Pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt. He has no relation with the Yajña or Viṣṇu, but he thinks that "I shall eat."