Shloka 5
Akrūra’s Prayers (Akrūra-stuti): The Lord as Cause of Causes, Virāṭ, and the Goal of All Paths
त्रय्या च विद्यया केचित्त्वां वै वैतानिका द्विजा: । यजन्ते विततैर्यज्ञैर्नाना रूपामराख्यया ॥ ५ ॥
trayyā ca vidyayā kecit tvāṁ vai vaitānikā dvijāḥ yajante vitatair yajñair nānā-rūpāmarākhyayā
Manche vaitānika‑Brāhmaṇas, die die Vorschriften der drei heiligen Feuer befolgen, verehren Dich mit Mantras der drei Veden und mit ausgedehnten Feuerritualen für die Devas mit vielen Namen und Gestalten.
Akrūra has now described how those who follow the paths of Sāṅkhya, yoga and the three Vedas worship the Supreme Lord in different ways. In the various places where the Vedas appear to recommend that one worship Indra, Varuṇa and other demigods, these demigods are stated to be supreme. But at the same time the Vedas state that there is one supreme controller, the Absolute Truth. That is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, who expands His potency through material creation into the forms of the demigods. Thus worship of the demigods goes to Him through the indirect method of karma-kāṇḍa, or fruitive religious rituals. Ultimately, however, one who wants to achieve eternal perfection should worship the Lord directly, in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
FAQs
This verse says that some Vedic ritualists (vaitānika dvijas) worship the Lord through elaborate yajñas, invoking Him through various divine names and forms taught in the Vedas.
In these prayers, the Śrutis explain how different seekers approach the same Supreme Lord—here noting that ritualistic brāhmaṇas approach Him through Vedic knowledge and sacrificial worship.
It encourages recognizing the one Supreme behind diverse names and practices, and refining one’s worship—whether study, prayer, or service—so it remains God-centered rather than merely ritual-centered.