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maitreyah uvaca—Maitreya answered; angah—King Anga; asvamedham—asvamedha sacrifice; raja-rsih—the saintly king; ajahara—executed; maha-kratum—great sacrifice; na—not; ajagmuh—came; devatah—the demigods; tasmin—in that sacrifice; ahutah—being invited; brahma-vadibhih—by the brahmanas expert in executing sacrifices.

Sri Maitreya replied: My dear Vidura, once the great King Anga arranged to perform the great sacrifice known as asvamedha. All the expert brahmanas present knew how to invite the demigods, but in spite of their efforts, no demigods participated or appeared in that sacrifice.

A Vedic sacrifice is not an ordinary performance. The demigods used to participate in such sacrifices, and the animals sacrificed in such performances were reincarnated with new life. In this age of Kali there are no powerful brahmanas who can invite the demigods or give renewed life to animals. Formerly, the brahmanas well conversant in Vedic mantras could show the potency of the mantras, but in this age, because there are no such brahmanas, all such sacrifices are forbidden. The sacrifice in which horses were offered was called asvamedha. Sometimes cows were sacrificed (gavalambha), not for eating purposes, but to give them new life in order to show the potency of the mantra. In this age, therefore, the only practical yajna is sankirtana-yajna, or chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra twenty-four hours a day.

SB4.13.26

TEXT 26

tam ucur vismitas tatra

yajamanam athartvijah

havimsi huyamanani

na te grhnanti devatah

tam—unto King Anga; ucuh—said; vismitah—in wonder; tatra—there; yajamanam—to the institutor of the sacrifice; atha—then; rtvijah—the priests; havimsi—offerings of clarified butter; huyamanani—being offered; na—not; te—they; grhnanti—accept; devatah—the demigods.

The priests engaged in the sacrifice then informed King Anga: O King, we are properly offering the clarified butter in the sacrifice, but despite all our efforts the demigods do not accept it.

SB4.13.27

TEXT 27

rajan havimsy adustani

sraddhayasaditani te

chandamsy ayata-yamani

yojitani dhrta-vrataih

SYNONYMS

rajan—O King; havimsi—sacrificial offerings; adustani—not polluted; sraddhaya—with great faith and care; asaditani—collected; te—your; chandamsi—the mantras; ayata-yamani—not deficient; yojitani—properly executed; dhrta-vrataih—by qualified brahmanas.

TRANSLATION

O King, we know that the paraphernalia to perform the sacrifice is well collected by you with great faith and care and is not polluted. Our chanting of the Vedic hymns is also not deficient in any way, for all the brahmanas and priests present here are expert and are executing the performances properly.

PURPORT

It is the practice of the brahmanas conversant with the science to pronounce a Vedic mantra in the right accent. The combination of the mantra and Sanskrit words must be chanted with the right pronunciation, otherwise it will not be successful. In this age the brahmanas are neither well versed in the Sanskrit language nor very pure in practical life. But by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra one can attain the highest benefit of sacrificial performances. Even if the Hare Krsna mantra is not chanted properly, it still has so much potency that the chanter gains the effect.

SB4.13.28

TEXT 28

na vidameha devanam

helanam vayam anv api

yan na grhnanti bhagan svan

ye devah karma-saksinah

na—not; vidama—can find; iha—in this connection; devanam—of the demigods; helanam—insult, neglect; vayam—we; anu—minute; api—even; yat—because of which; na—not; grhnanti—accept; bhagan—shares; svan—own; ye—who; devah—the demigods; karma-saksinah—witnesses for the sacrifice.

Dear King, we do not find any reason that the demigods should feel insulted or neglected in any way, but still the demigods who are witnesses for the sacrifice do not accept their shares. We do not know why this is so.

It is indicated herein that if there is negligence on the part of the priest, the demigods do not accept their share in sacrifices. Similarly, in devotional service there are offenses known as seva-aparadha. Those who are engaged in worshiping the Deity, Radha and Krsna, in the temple, should avoid such offenses in service. The offenses in service are described in The Nectar of Devotion. If we simply make a show of offering services to the Deity but do not care for the seva-aparadha, certainly the Radha-Krsna Deity will not accept offerings from such nondevotees. Devotees engaged in temple worship should not, therefore, manufacture their own methods, but should strictly follow the regulative principles of cleanliness, and then offerings will be accepted.

SB4.13.29

TEXT 29

maitreya uvaca

ango dvija-vacah srutva

yajamanah sudurmanah

tat prastum vyasrjad vacam

sadasyams tad-anujnaya

maitreyah uvaca—the great sage Maitreya answered; angah—King Anga; dvija-vacah—the brahmanas’ words; srutva—after hearing; yajamanah—the performer of the sacrifice; sudurmanah—very much aggrieved in mind; tat—about that; prastum—in order to inquire; vyasrjat vacam—he spoke; sadasyan—to the priests; tat—their; anujnaya—taking permission.

Maitreya explained that King Anga, after hearing the statements of the priests, was greatly aggrieved. At that time he took permission from the priests to break his silence and inquired from all the priests who were present in the sacrificial arena.

SB4.13.30

TEXT 30

nagacchanty ahuta deva

na grhnanti grahan iha

sadasas-patayo bruta

kim avadyam maya krtam

SYNONYMS

na—not; agacchanti—are coming; ahutah—being invited; devah—the demigods; na—not; grhnanti—are accepting; grahan—shares; iha—in the sacrifice; sadasah-patayah—my dear priests; bruta—kindly tell me; kim—what; avadyam—offense; maya—by me; krtam—was committed.

TRANSLATION

King Anga addressed the priestly order: My dear priests, kindly tell me what offense I have committed. Although invited, the demigods are neither taking part in the sacrifice nor accepting their shares.

SB4.13.31

TEXT 31

sadasas-pataya ucuh

nara-deveha bhavato

nagham tavan manak sthitam

asty ekam praktanam agham

yad ihedrk tvam aprajah

SYNONYMS

sadasah-patayah ucuh—the head priests said; nara-deva—O King; iha—in this life; bhavatah—of you; na—not; agham—sinful activity; tavat manak—even very slight; sthitam—situated; asti—there is; ekam—one; praktanam—in the previous birth; agham—sinful activity; yat—by which; iha—in this life; idrk—like this; tvam—you; aprajah—without any son.

TRANSLATION

The head priests said: O King, in this life we do not find any sinful activity, even within your mind, so you are not in the least offensive. But we can see that in your previous life you performed sinful activities due to which, in spite of your having all qualifications, you have no son.

PURPORT

The purpose of marrying is to beget a son, because a son is necessary to deliver his father and forefathers from any hellish conditional life in which they may be. Canakya Pandita therefore says, putra-hinam grham sunyam: without a son, married life is simply abominable. King Anga was a very pious king in this life, but because of his previous sinful activity he could not get a son. It is concluded, therefore, that if a person does not get a son it is due to his past sinful life.

SB4.13.32

TEXT 32

tatha sadhaya bhadram te

atmanam suprajam nrpa

istas te putra-kamasya

putram dasyati yajna-bhuk

tatha—therefore; sadhaya—execute the sacrifice to get; bhadram—good fortune; te—to you; atmanam—your own; su-prajam—good son; nrpa—O King; istah—being worshiped; te—by you; putra-kamasya—desiring to have a son; putram—a son; dasyati—He will deliver; yajna-bhuk—the Lord, the enjoyer of the sacrifice.

O King, we wish all good fortune for you. You have no son, but if you pray at once to the Supreme Lord and ask for a son, and if you execute the sacrifice for that purpose, the enjoyer of the sacrifice, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, will fulfill your desire.

SB4.13.33

TEXT 33

tatha sva-bhagadheyani

grahisyanti divaukasah

yad yajna-purusah saksad

apatyaya harir vrtah

SYNONYMS

tatha—thereupon; sva-bhaga-dheyani—their shares in the sacrifice; grahisyanti—will accept; diva-okasah—all the demigods; yat—because; yajna-purusah—the enjoyer of all sacrifices; saksat—directly; apatyaya—for the purpose of a son; harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vrtah—is invited.

TRANSLATION

When Hari, the supreme enjoyer of all sacrifices, is invited to fulfill your desire for a son, all the demigods will come with Him and take their shares in the sacrifice.

PURPORT

Whenever a sacrifice is performed, it is meant for satisfying Lord Visnu, the enjoyer of the fruits of all sacrifices; and when Lord Visnu agrees to come to a sacrificial arena, all the demigods naturally follow their master, and their shares are offered in such sacrifices. The conclusion is that the sacrifices performed are meant for Lord Visnu, not for the demigods.

SB4.13.34

TEXT 34

tams tan kaman harir dadyad

yan yan kamayate janah

aradhito yathaivaisa

tatha pumsam phalodayah

tan tan—those; kaman—desired objects; harih—the Lord; dadyat—will award; yan yan—whatsoever; kamayate—desires; janah—the person; aradhitah—being worshiped; yatha—as; eva—certainly; esah—the Lord; tatha—similarly; pumsam—of men; phala-udayah—the result.

The performer of the sacrifices [under karma-kanda activities] achieves the fulfillment of the desire for which he worships the Lord.

In the Bhagavad-gita the Lord says that He awards benedictions to the worshiper according to his desire. The Supreme Personality of Godhead gives all living entities conditioned within this material world full freedom to act in their own way. But to His devotee He says that instead of working in that way, it is better to surrender unto Him, for He will take charge of the devotee. That is the difference between a devotee and a fruitive actor. The fruitive actor enjoys only the fruits of his own activities, but a devotee, being under the guidance of the Supreme Lord, simply advances in devotional service to achieve the ultimate goal of life—to go back home, back to Godhead. The significant word in this verse is kaman, which means “sense gratificatory desires.” A devotee is devoid of all kaman. He is anyabhilasita-sunya: a devotee is always devoid of all desires for sense gratification. His only aim is to satisfy or gratify the senses of the Lord. That is the difference between a karmi and a devotee.

SB4.13.35

TEXT 35

iti vyavasita vipras

tasya rajnah prajataye

purodasam niravapan

sipi-vistaya visnave

iti—thus; vyavasitah—having decided; viprah—the brahmanas; tasya—his; rajnah—of the king; prajataye—for the purpose of getting a son; purodasam—the paraphernalia of sacrifice; niravapan—offered; sipi-vistaya—to the Lord, who is situated in the sacrificial fire; visnave—to Lord Visnu.

Thus for the sake of a son for King Anga, they decided to offer oblations to Lord Visnu, who is situated in the hearts of all living entities.

According to sacrificial rituals, animals are sometimes sacrificed in the yajna arena. Such animals are sacrificed not to kill them but to give them new life. Such action was an experiment to observe whether the Vedic mantras were being properly pronounced. Sometimes small animals are killed in a medical laboratory to investigate therapeutic effects. In a medical clinic, the animals are not revived, but in the yajna arena, when animals were sacrificed, they were again given life by the potency of Vedic mantras. The word sipi-vistaya appears in this verse. Sipi means “the flames of the sacrifice.” In the sacrificial fire if the oblations are offered into the flames, then Lord Visnu is situated there in the form of the flames. Therefore Lord Visnu is known as Sipivista.

SB4.13.36

TEXT 36

tasmat purusa uttasthau

hema-maly amalambarah

hiranmayena patrena

siddham adaya payasam

tasmat—from that fire; purusah—a person; uttasthau—appeared; hema-mali—with a golden garland; amala-ambarah—in white garments; hiranmayena—golden; patrena—with a pot; siddham—cooked; adaya—carrying; payasam—rice boiled in milk.

As soon as the oblation was offered in the fire, a person appeared from the fire altar wearing a golden garland and a white dress. He was carrying a golden pot filled with rice boiled in milk.

SB4.13.37

TEXT 37

sa vipranumato raja

grhitvanjalinaudanam

avaghraya muda yuktah

pradat patnya udara-dhih

SYNONYMS

sah—he; vipra—of the brahmanas; anumatah—taking permission; raja—the King; grhitva—taking; anjalina—in his joined palms; odanam—rice boiled in milk; avaghraya—after smelling; muda—with great delight; yuktah—fixed; pradat—offered; patnyai—to his wife; udara-dhih—liberal-minded.

TRANSLATION

The King was very liberal, and after taking permission from the priests, he took the preparation in his joined palms, and after smelling it he offered a portion to his wife.

PURPORT

The word udara-dhih is significant in this connection. The wife of the King, Sunitha, was not fit to accept this benediction, yet the King was so liberal that without hesitation he offered to his wife the boiled rice in milk prasada received from the yajna-purusa. Of course, everything is designed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As will be explained in later verses, this incident was not very favorable for the King. Since the King was very liberal, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in order to increase his detachment from this material world, willed that a cruel son be born of the Queen so that the King would have to leave home. As stated above, Lord Visnu fulfills the desires of the karmis as they desire, but the Lord fulfills the desire of a devotee in a different way so that the devotee may gradually come to Him. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te). The Lord gives the devotee the opportunity to make progress further and further so that he may come back home, back to Godhead.

SB4.13.38

TEXT 38

sa tat pum-savanam rajni

prasya vai patyur adadhe

garbham kala upavrtte

kumaram susuve ’praja

sa—she; tat—that food; pum-savanam—which produces a male child; rajni—the Queen; prasya—eating; vai—indeed; patyuh—from the husband; adadhe—conceived; garbham—pregnancy; kale—when the due time; upavrtte—appeared; kumaram—a son; susuve—gave birth to; apraja—having no son.

Although the Queen had no son, after eating that food, which had the power to produce a male child, she became pregnant by her husband, and in due course of time she gave birth to a son.

Among the ten kinds of purificatory processes, one is pum-savanam, in which the wife is offered some prasada, or remnants of foodstuff offered to Lord Visnu, so that after sexual intercourse with her husband she may conceive a child.

adharmamsodbhavam mrtyum

tenabhavad adharmikah

sah—that; balah—child; eva—certainly; purusah—male; mata-maham—maternal grandfather; anuvratah—a follower of; adharma—of irreligion; amsa—from a portion; udbhavam—who appeared; mrtyum—death; tena—by this; abhavat—he became; adharmikah—irreligious.

That boy was born partially in the dynasty of irreligion. His grandfather was death personified, and the boy grew up as his follower; he became a greatly irreligious person.

The child’s mother, Sunitha, was the daughter of death personified. Generally the daughter receives the qualifications of her father, and the son acquires those of the mother. So, according to the axiomatic truth that things equal to the same thing are equal to one another, the child born of King Anga became the follower of his maternal grandfather. According to smrti-sastra, a child generally follows the principles of his maternal uncle’s house. Naranam matula-karma means that a child generally follows the qualities of his maternal family. If the maternal family is very corrupt or sinful, the child, even though born of a good father, becomes a victim of the maternal family. According to Vedic civilization, therefore, before the marriage takes place an account is taken of both the boy’s and girl’s families. If according to astrological calculation the combination is perfect, then marriage takes place. Sometimes, however, there is a mistake, and family life becomes frustrating.

It appears that King Anga did not get a very good wife in Sunitha because she was the daughter of death personified. Sometimes the Lord arranges an unfortunate wife for His devotee so that gradually, due to family circumstances, the devotee becomes detached from his wife and home and makes progress in devotional life. It appears that by the arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, King Anga, although a pious devotee, got an unfortunate wife like Sunitha and later on a bad child like Vena. But the result was that he got complete freedom from the entanglement of family life and left home to go back to Godhead.

hanty asadhur mrgan dinan

veno ’sav ity arauj janah

sah—that boy of the name Vena; sarasanam—his bow; udyamya—taking up; mrgayuh—the hunter; vana-gocarah—going into the forest; hanti—used to kill; asadhuh—being very cruel; mrgan—deer; dinan—poor; venah—Vena; asau—there he is; iti—thus; araut—would cry; janah—all the people.

After fixing his bow and arrow, the cruel boy used to go to the forest and unnecessarily kill innocent deer, and as soon as he came all the people would cry, “Here comes cruel Vena! Here comes cruel Vena!”

Ksatriyas are allowed to hunt in the forest for the purpose of learning the killing art, not to kill animals for eating or for any other purpose. The ksatriya kings were sometimes expected to cut off the head of a culprit in the state. For this reason the ksatriyas were allowed to hunt in the forest. Because this son of King Anga, Vena, was born of a bad mother, he was very cruel, and he used to go to the forest and unnecessarily kill the animals. All the neighboring inhabitants would be frightened by his presence, and they would call, “Here comes Vena! Here comes Vena!” So from the beginning of his life he was fearful to the citizens.

prasahya niranukrosah

pasu-maram amarayat

akride—in the playground; kridatah—while playing; balan—boys; vayasyan—of his age; ati-darunah—very cruel; prasahya—by force; niranukrosah—merciless; pasu-maram—as if slaughtering animals; amarayat—killed.

The boy was so cruel that while playing with young boys of his age he would kill them very mercilessly, as if they were animals meant for slaughter.

SB4.13.42

TEXT 42

tam vicaksya khalam putram

sasanair vividhair nrpah

yada na sasitum kalpo

bhrsam asit sudurmanah

SYNONYMS

tam—him; vicaksya—observing; khalam—cruel; putram—son; sasanaih—by punishments; vividhaih—different kinds of; nrpah—the King; yada—when; na—not; sasitum—to bring under control; kalpah—was able; bhrsam—greatly; asit—became; su-durmanah—aggrieved.

TRANSLATION

After seeing the cruel and merciless behavior of his son, Vena, King Anga punished him in different ways to reform him, but was unable to bring him to the path of gentleness. He thus became greatly aggrieved.

SB4.13.43

TEXT 43

prayenabhyarcito devo

ye ’praja grha-medhinah

kad-apatya-bhrtam duhkham

ye na vindanti durbharam

SYNONYMS

prayena—probably; abhyarcitah—was worshiped; devah—the Lord; ye—they who; aprajah—without a son; grha-medhinah—persons living at home; kad-apatya—by a bad son; bhrtam—caused; duhkham—unhappiness; ye—they who; na—not; vindanti—suffer; durbharam—unbearable.

TRANSLATION

The King thought to himself: Persons who have no son are certainly fortunate. They must have worshiped the Lord in their previous lives so that they would not have to suffer the unbearable unhappiness caused by a bad son.

SB4.13.44

TEXT 44

yatah papiyasi kirtir

adharmas ca mahan nrnam

yato virodhah sarvesam

yata adhir anantakah

SYNONYMS

yatah—on account of a bad son; papiyasi—sinful; kirtih—reputation; adharmah—irreligion; ca—also; mahan—great; nrnam—of men; yatah—from which; virodhah—quarrel; sarvesam—of all people; yatah—from which; adhih—anxiety; anantakah—endless.

TRANSLATION

A sinful son causes a person’s reputation to vanish. His irreligious activities at home cause irreligion and quarrel among everyone, and this creates only endless anxiety.

PURPORT

It is said that a married couple must have a son, otherwise their family life is void. But a son born without good qualities is as good as a blind eye. A blind eye has no use for seeing, but it is simply unbearably painful. The King therefore thought himself very unfortunate to have such a bad son.

SB4.13.45

TEXT 45

kas tam prajapadesam vai

moha-bandhanam atmanah

pandito bahu manyeta

yad-arthah klesada grhah

kah—who; tam—him; praja-apadesam—son in name only; vai—certainly; moha—of illusion; bandhanam—bondage; atmanah—for the soul; panditah—intelligent man; bahu manyeta—would value; yat-arthah—because of whom; klesa-dah—painful; grhah—home.

Who, if he is considerate and intelligent, would desire such a worthless son? Such a son is nothing but a bond of illusion for the living entity, and he makes one’s home miserable.

SB4.13.46

TEXT 46

kad-apatyam varam manye

sad-apatyac chucam padat

nirvidyeta grhan martyo

yat-klesa-nivaha grhah

SYNONYMS

kad-apatyam—bad son; varam—better; manye—I think; sat-apatyat—than a good son; sucam—of grief; padat—the source; nirvidyeta—becomes detached; grhat—from home; martyah—a mortal man; yat—because of whom; klesa-nivahah—hellish; grhah—home.

TRANSLATION

Then the King thought: A bad son is better than a good son because a good son creates an attachment for home, whereas a bad son does not. A bad son creates a hellish home from which an intelligent man naturally becomes very easily detached.

PURPORT

The King began to think in terms of attachment and detachment from one’s material home. According to Prahlada Maharaja, the material home is compared to a blind well. If a man falls down into a blind well, it is very difficult to get out of it and begin life again. Prahlada Maharaja has advised that one give up this blind well of home life as soon as possible and go to the forest to take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. According to Vedic civilization, this giving up of home by vanaprastha and sannyasa is compulsory. But people are so attached to their homes that even up to the point of death they do not like to retire from home life. King Anga, therefore, thinking in terms of detachment, accepted his bad son as a good impetus for detachment from home life. He therefore considered his bad son his friend since he was helping him become detached from his home. Ultimately one has to learn how to detach oneself from attachment to material life; therefore, if a bad son, by his bad behavior, helps a householder to go away from home, it is a boon.

SB4.13.47

TEXT 47

evam sa nirvinna-mana nrpo grhan

nisitha utthaya mahodayodayat

alabdha-nidro ’nupalaksito nrbhir

hitva gato vena-suvam prasuptam