Shloka 17
Ṛṣabhadeva’s Enthronement, Exemplary Household Life, and the Birth of Bharata and the Nine Yogendras
द्रव्यदेशकालवय:श्रद्धर्त्विग्विविधोद्देशोपचितै: सर्वैरपि क्रतुभिर्यथोपदेशं शतकृत्व इयाज ॥ १७ ॥
dravya-deśa-kāla-vayaḥ-śraddhartvig-vividhoddeśopacitaiḥ sarvair api kratubhir yathopadeśaṁ śata-kṛtva iyāja.
Following Vedic injunctions, Bhagavān Ṛṣabhadeva performed every kind of sacrifice one hundred times, complete with finest offerings, sacred places, proper times, and youthful priests endowed with śraddhā; thus He satisfied Śrī Viṣṇu in every respect.
It is said, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha ( Bhāg. 7.6.1 ). A ritual should be performed by young men, even boys, at a tender age in order for the ritual to be performed successfully. From childhood, people should be trained in Vedic culture, especially in devotional service. In this way, one can perfect one’s life. A Vaiṣṇava does not disrespect the demigods, but on the other hand he is not so foolish that he accepts each and every demigod as the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is master of all demigods; therefore the demigods are His servants. The Vaiṣṇava accepts them as servants of the Supreme Lord, and he worships them directly. In the Brahma-saṁhitā, the important demigods — Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā and even the incarnations and expansions of Lord Kṛṣṇa like Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and all the other viṣṇu-tattvas, as well as the śakti-tattvas like Durgādevī — are all worshiped by the process of worshiping Govinda with the words govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. A Vaiṣṇava worships the demigods in relation to Govinda, not independently. Vaiṣṇavas are not so foolish that they consider the demigods independent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is confirmed in Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa, āra saba bhṛtya: the supreme master is Kṛṣṇa, and all others are His servants.
FAQs
This verse stresses that yajña must be done exactly as instructed—complete with proper materials, place, time, faith, and qualified priests—rather than casually or selectively.
Śukadeva highlights Ṛṣabhadeva’s exemplary adherence to Vedic dharma and his meticulous, scripturally aligned worship, showing ideal conduct for rulers and householders.
Even when one cannot perform elaborate yajñas, the principle remains: practice devotion and dharma with sincerity, proper guidance, and faithful adherence to authorized instructions.