Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 27
Dakṣa’s Sacrifice Restored: Śiva’s Mercy and Nārāyaṇa’s Appearance
ऋत्विज ऊचु: तत्त्वं न ते वयमनञ्जन रुद्रशापात् कर्मण्यवग्रहधियो भगवन्विदाम: । धर्मोपलक्षणमिदं त्रिवृदध्वराख्यं ज्ञातं यदर्थमधिदैवमदो व्यवस्था: ॥ २७ ॥
ṛtvija ūcuḥ tattvaṁ na te vayam anañjana rudra-śāpāt karmaṇy avagraha-dhiyo bhagavan vidāmaḥ dharmopalakṣaṇam idaṁ trivṛd adhvarākhyaṁ jñātaṁ yad-artham adhidaivam ado vyavasthāḥ
Các tư tế thưa: “Lạy Bhagavān không nhiễm ô, do lời nguyền của Rudra, trí chúng con bị vướng vào nghiệp cầu quả, nên chẳng biết Ngài theo chân lý. Nhân danh thực hành yajña, chúng con mắc kẹt trong các quy định của ba bộ phận tri thức Veda. Nhưng chúng con biết chính Ngài đã an bài việc phân chia phần lễ cho các chư thiên.”
The Vedas are known as traiguṇya-viṣayā vedāḥ ( Bg. 2.45 ). Those who are serious students of the Vedas are very much attached to the ritualistic ceremonies mentioned in the Vedas, and therefore these veda-vādīs cannot understand that the ultimate goal of the Vedas is to understand Lord Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu. Those who have transcended the qualitative Vedic attractions, however, can understand Kṛṣṇa, who is never contaminated by the material qualities. Therefore Lord Viṣṇu is addressed here as anañjana, “free from material contamination.” In Bhagavad-gītā (2.42) the crude Vedic scholars have been deprecated by Kṛṣṇa as follows:
FAQs
This verse shows that ritual (the tri-fold Vedic adhvara) can be only an external marker of dharma; without clear spiritual understanding, one may miss the Lord’s true reality (tattva).
They attribute their lack of insight to Rudra’s curse, saying their intelligence became obstructed specifically in matters of karma-kāṇḍa (ritual action).
Perform rituals respectfully as supports for dharma, but prioritize sincere devotion and inner understanding of the Supreme Lord rather than treating ceremony as the ultimate goal.