Shloka 34
Pṛthu Mahārāja’s Homecoming, Sacrificial Assembly, and Instruction on Devotional Kingship
असाविहानेकगुणोऽगुणोऽध्वर: पृथग्विधद्रव्यगुणक्रियोक्तिभि: । सम्पद्यतेऽर्थाशयलिङ्गनामभि- र्विशुद्धविज्ञानघन: स्वरूपत: ॥ ३४ ॥
asāv ihāneka-guṇo ’guṇo ’dhvaraḥ pṛthag-vidha-dravya-guṇa-kriyoktibhiḥ sampadyate ’rthāśaya-liṅga-nāmabhir viśuddha-vijñāna-ghanaḥ svarūpataḥ
The Supreme Lord is, in His own nature, a pure, undivided mass of spiritual knowledge, untouched by material qualities. Yet for the welfare of conditioned souls He accepts many kinds of sacrifices, performed with varied elements, rites, and mantras and offered under different names of the demigods according to the performers’ aims—though the true recipient and enjoyer is He alone, Bhagavān.
For material prosperity there are recommendations in the Vedas for various types of yajña (sacrifice). In Bhagavad-gītā (3.10) it is confirmed that Lord Brahmā created all living entities, including human beings and demigods, and advised them to perform yajña according to their material desires ( saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā ). These performances are called yajñas because their ultimate goal is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. The purpose of performing yajñas is to get material benefit, but because the aim is to simultaneously satisfy the Supreme Lord, such yajñas have been recommended in the Vedas. Such performances are, of course, known as karma-kāṇḍa, or material activities, and all material activities are certainly contaminated by the three modes of material nature. Generally the karma-kāṇḍa ritualistic ceremonies are performed in the mode of passion, yet the conditioned souls, both human beings and demigods, are obliged to perform these yajñas because without them one cannot be happy at all.
FAQs
This verse says the Lord is actually aguṇa—beyond material qualities—yet He is spoken of and approached through names, symbols, intentions, and meanings, while His true nature is pure, concentrated spiritual consciousness.
In instructing the citizens, Pṛthu explains that Vedic sacrifice ultimately points to Viṣṇu as the real beneficiary and essence of yajña, even though ritual details involve many materials, qualities, and actions.
Treat external religious acts as supports, but remember the goal is realizing and serving the Supreme Conscious Person—keeping devotion and inner purity central rather than getting lost in mere ritual complexity.