Shloka 28
Dhruva-vaṁśa Continuation: Utkala’s Renunciation, Aṅga’s Sacrifice, and the Birth of Vena
Prelude to Pṛthu
न विदामेह देवानां हेलनं वयमण्वपि । यन्न गृह्णन्ति भागान् स्वान् ये देवा: कर्मसाक्षिण: ॥ २८ ॥
na vidāmeha devānāṁ helanaṁ vayam aṇv api yan na gṛhṇanti bhāgān svān ye devāḥ karma-sākṣiṇaḥ
O King, we see not even the slightest cause for the devas to feel insulted or neglected; yet the devas, witnesses of the sacrifice, do not accept their allotted shares. Why this is so, we do not know.
It is indicated herein that if there is negligence on the part of the priest, the demigods do not accept their share in sacrifices. Similarly, in devotional service there are offenses known as sevā-aparādha. Those who are engaged in worshiping the Deity, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, in the temple, should avoid such offenses in service. The offenses in service are described in The Nectar of Devotion. If we simply make a show of offering services to the Deity but do not care for the sevā-aparādha, certainly the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deity will not accept offerings from such nondevotees. Devotees engaged in temple worship should therefore not manufacture their own methods but should strictly follow the regulative principles of cleanliness, and then offerings will be accepted.
FAQs
This verse shows that when the devas do not accept their portions, it signals a serious disharmony—often an unseen offense, impurity, or disruption of dharma—because the devas are described as karma-sākṣiṇaḥ, witnesses of all actions.
In the narrative of Canto 4, Chapter 13, King Aṅga is perplexed that the sacrificial results are blocked; he asserts he knows of no deliberate disrespect, since the devas’ refusal to accept offerings indicates something is wrong.
If sincere efforts yield no spiritual clarity, this verse encourages honest self-examination—checking one’s intentions, integrity, and humility—rather than blaming others, and then correcting one’s practice in line with dharma and devotion.