Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 48
The Brāhmaṇas’ Wives Blessed (Brāhmaṇa-patnī-prasāda) — Ritualism Humbled by Bhakti
देश: काल: पृथग्द्रव्यं मन्त्रतन्त्रर्त्विजोऽग्नय: । देवता यजमानश्च क्रतुर्धर्मश्च यन्मय: ॥ ४८ ॥ स एव भगवान् साक्षाद् विष्णुर्योगेश्वरेश्वर: । जातो यदुष्वित्याशृण्म ह्यपि मूढा न विद्महे ॥ ४९ ॥
deśaḥ kālaḥ pṛthag dravyaṁ mantra-tantrartvijo ’gnayaḥ devatā yajamānaś ca kratur dharmaś ca yan-mayaḥ
All the aspects of sacrifice — the auspicious place and time, the various items of paraphernalia, the Vedic hymns, the prescribed rituals, the priests and sacrificial fires, the demigods, the patron of the sacrifice, the sacrificial offering and the pious results obtained — all are simply manifestations of His opulences. Yet even though we had heard that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, the Lord of all mystic controllers, had taken birth in the Yadu dynasty, we were so foolish that we could not recognize Śrī Kṛṣṇa to be none other than Him.
FAQs
This verse teaches that every component of yajña—time, place, mantras, priests, fires, deities, the sponsor, and the resulting dharma—exists within and is pervaded by the Supreme Lord; thus sacrifice is meaningful only in relation to Him.
They were requesting food for Krishna and Balarama and reminded the ritualistic brāhmaṇas that the true purpose of sacrifice is to please the Supreme Lord, not merely to perform external rites.
It encourages offering one’s work, worship, and daily duties to God in devotion—seeing rituals, responsibilities, and results as meant for the Lord rather than for ego or social prestige.