Shloka 85
Brahmā’s Puṣkara Sacrifice: Kokāmukha Tīrtha, Varāha’s Aid, and the Arrival of Gāyatrī
राजर्षयो मुख्यतमास्समायाताः समंततः । कतमश्च सुरोप्यत्र क्रतौ याज्यो भविष्यति
rājarṣayo mukhyatamāssamāyātāḥ samaṃtataḥ | katamaśca suropyatra kratau yājyo bhaviṣyati
राजर्षयः प्रमुखतमा दिग्भ्यः समन्ततः समायाताः। अस्मिन् क्रतौ कः सुरः याज्यः स्यात्—कस्मै हविर्दीयते?
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context-dependent within Adhyāya 16 narration/dialogue).
Concept: Right worship depends on right discernment of the worthy recipient (yājya) in sacrifice; collective dharmic deliberation precedes ritual action.
Application: Before acting, consult wise counsel and clarify the true aim and beneficiary of your effort; align offerings (time, wealth, attention) with the highest good rather than mere custom.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A vast sacrificial arena spreads like a mandala, ringed by banners and blazing altars. Royal sages arrive from the four directions with retinues and gifts, their faces intent as the assembly pauses on a single question: who among the gods is truly worthy to receive the first oblation? The air trembles with mantra and expectation.","primary_figures":["royal sages (rājarṣis)","ṛtviks (priests)","assembled devas (implied)"],"setting":"grand yajña-śālā with multiple fire-altars, kusa-grass seats, ritual vessels, and directional gateways","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["saffron orange","smoke gray","vermillion red","antique gold","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a majestic yajña-śālā with a central blazing agni-kuṇḍa, rājarṣis seated in concentric rows, priests holding ladles and śruc, ornate pillars and arches, heavy gold leaf halos around key figures, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry, intricate floral borders and embossed gold detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a wide sacrificial courtyard seen in gentle perspective, delicate brushwork showing rājarṣis arriving from four gates, cool yet luminous palette with refined faces, subtle smoke curls from the altar, lyrical naturalism in surrounding trees and distant hills, fine textile patterns on garments, calm Himalayan sky gradient.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments depict the yajña scene—large expressive eyes on sages, stylized flames in the altar, rhythmic arrangement of figures in tiers, temple-wall aesthetic with red/yellow/green dominance, ornamental motifs framing the question of the yājya deity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a ceremonial gathering around a central altar rendered like a devotional mandala, lotus motifs and ornate borders, peacocks perched on pillars, deep blues and gold accents, intricate floral filigree; include a subtle Vaiṣṇava hint—an empty central throne-like space suggesting the unseen yajña-puruṣa as ultimate recipient."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["crackling sacred fire","low Vedic chant drone","conch shell (distant)","temple bells","murmur of assembly"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: rājarṣayaḥ + mukhyatamāḥ (visarga to o); mukhyatamāḥ + samāyātāḥ (visarga to s); katamaḥ + ca (visarga to ś); suraḥ + api (visarga to o, avagraha); api + atra (i + a = y)
FAQs
It asks which deity is to be honored as the proper recipient of offerings in the sacrifice, after eminent royal sages have gathered.
No. It sets up the inquiry; the identification of the yājya (recipient) would occur in the surrounding verses and context of Adhyāya 16.
The verse implies discernment in worship and ritual propriety—choosing the most fitting recipient for honor and offering, rather than acting casually or by mere preference.