Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 5

Bharata Mahārāja’s Ideal Kingship and His Transition from Yajña to Exclusive Bhakti at Pulahāśrama

Devanagari script

ईजे च भगवन्तं यज्ञक्रतुरूपं क्रतुभिरुच्चावचै: श्रद्धयाऽऽहृताग्निहोत्रदर्शपूर्णमासचातुर्मास्यपशुसोमानां प्रकृतिविकृतिभिरनुसवनं चातुर्होत्रविधिना ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

īje ca bhagavantaṁ yajña-kratu-rūpaṁ kratubhir uccāvacaiḥ śraddhayāhṛtāgnihotra-darśa-pūrṇamāsa-cāturmāsya-paśu-somānāṁ prakṛti-vikṛtibhir anusavanaṁ cāturhotra-vidhinā.

Translation

Với lòng tin sâu xa, vua Bharata thờ phụng Bhagavān như hiện thân của yajña và kratu, bằng nhiều tế lễ: agni-hotra, darśa, pūrṇamāsa, cāturmāsya, paśu-yajña và soma-yajña. Có khi làm trọn vẹn, có khi làm một phần, nhưng mọi lễ đều tuân nghiêm ngặt theo quy thức cāturhotra. Nhờ vậy ngài phụng thờ Đấng Tối Thượng.

Synonyms

• ईजे: worshipped/sacrificed
• ईजे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; धातुः—यज् (देवपूजासंगतिकरणदानेषु)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपातः (conjunction)

• भगवन्तम्: the Lord
• भगवन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• यज्ञक्रतुरूपम्: whose form is sacrifice/ritual
• यज्ञक्रतुरूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यज्ञ-क्रतु-रूप (प्रातिपदिक; यज्ञ + क्रतु + रूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (भगवन्तम्); तत्पुरुषः (यज्ञक्रतौ रूपं यस्य/यज्ञक्रतुरूपः)

• क्रतुभिः: with rites/sacrifices
• क्रतुभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• उच्चावचैः: various (high and low)
• उच्चावचैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्चावच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (क्रतुभिः); द्वन्द्वः (उच्च + अवच)

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• आहृत: brought/obtained
• आहृत: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle), प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गे; समासे पूर्वपदम् (आहृत-...)

• अग्निहोत्रदर्शपूर्णमासचातुर्मास्यपशुसोमानाम्: of (the rites) Agnihotra, Darśa, Pūrṇamāsa, Cāturmāsya, Paśu, Soma
• अग्निहोत्रदर्शपूर्णमासचातुर्मास्यपशुसोमानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निहोत्र-दर्श-पूर्णमास-चातुर्मास्य-पशु-सोम (प्रातिपदिक-समाहार)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचनम्; समाहार-द्वन्द्व/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व-समूहः (various sacrifices)

• प्रकृतिविकृतिभिः: with basic and modified (forms)
• प्रकृतिविकृतिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति-विकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; द्वन्द्वः (प्रकृति + विकृति)

• अनुसवनम्: at each pressing/at each libation time
• अनुसवनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुसवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• चातुर्होत्रविधिना: by the four-priest procedure
• चातुर्होत्रविधिना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्होत्र-विधि (प्रातिपदिक; चातुर् + होत्र + विधि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (चातुर्होत्रस्य विधिः)

Purport

Animals like horses and cows were offered in sacrifice to test the proper execution of the sacrifice. Otherwise, there was no purpose in killing the animal. Actually the animal was offered in the sacrificial fire to get a rejuvenated life. Generally an old animal was sacrificed in the fire, and it would come out again in a youthful body. Some of the rituals however, did not require animal sacrifice. In the present age, animal sacrifices are forbidden. As stated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu:

Characters & Entities

• Bharata Mahārāja
• Bhagavān (Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Supreme Lord being the form of yajña?

This verse states that Bhagavān is yajña-kratu-rūpa—He is the very embodiment of sacrifice—so when Bharata Mahārāja performed Vedic rites with faith and proper method, the worship ultimately reached the Supreme Lord.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe Bharata Mahārāja performing so many Vedic sacrifices?

Śukadeva highlights Bharata’s righteous rule and devotion: his ritual worship was not mere ceremony but faithful service to Bhagavān, executed according to scriptural timing and priestly procedure.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life—do we need elaborate rituals?

The takeaway is to offer one’s prescribed duties with faith and correctness as worship of God; even simple daily practices become spiritual when done as an offering to Bhagavān, the ultimate recipient of all sacrifice.