Shloka 9
Aditi’s Lament and Kaśyapa’s Instruction of the Payo-vrata (Milk Vow) to Please Keśava
यत्पूजया कामदुघान्याति लोकान्गृहान्वित: । ब्राह्मणोऽग्निश्च वै विष्णो: सर्वदेवात्मनो मुखम् ॥ ९ ॥
yat-pūjayā kāma-dughān yāti lokān gṛhānvitaḥ brāhmaṇo ’gniś ca vai viṣṇoḥ sarva-devātmano mukham
By worshiping the sacred fire and the brāhmaṇas, a householder attains the desired fruit and dwells in the higher worlds, for the sacrificial fire and the brāhmaṇas are regarded as the mouth of Lord Viṣṇu, the Supersoul of all the devas.
According to the Vedic system, a fire sacrifice is held in order to offer oblations of ghee, grains, fruits, flowers and so on, so that Lord Viṣṇu may eat and be satisfied. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (9.26) :
FAQs
This verse states that brāhmaṇas and the sacred fire function as the ‘mouth’ of Lord Viṣṇu; offerings and service rendered through them are received as worship of Viṣṇu, the inner Self of all the gods.
In the Bhagavatam’s yajña-and-bhakti framework, brāhmaṇas preserve and transmit Vedic worship, and Agni carries offerings; thus, they are described as the channel through which Viṣṇu accepts sacrificial service.
Respect learned, virtuous spiritual teachers, support genuine dharmic learning and worship, and treat sacred offerings (charity, service, worship) as acts meant for God—done with purity, humility, and devotion.