Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8: “Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Sixteen

SB8.16.41

TEXT 41

niveditam tad-bhaktaya

dadyad bhunjita va svayam

dattvacamanam arcitva

tambulam ca nivedayet

SYNONYMS

niveditam—this offering of prasada; tat-bhaktaya—unto His devotee; dadyat—should be offered; bhunjita—one should take; va—either; svayam—personally; dattva acamanam—giving water to wash the hands and mouth; arcitva—in this way worshiping the Deity; tambulam—betel nuts with spices; ca—also; nivedayet—one should offer.

TRANSLATION

One should offer all the prasada to a Vaisnava or offer him some of the prasada and then take some oneself. After this, one should offer the Deity acamana and then betel nut and then again worship the Lord.

SB8.16.42

TEXT 42

japed astottara-satam

stuvita stutibhih prabhum

krtva pradaksinam bhumau

pranamed dandavan muda

SYNONYMS

japet—should silently murmur; astottara-satam—108 times; stuvita—should offer prayers; stutibhih—by various prayers of glorification; prabhum—unto the Lord; krtva—thereafter doing; pradaksinam—circumambulation; bhumau—on the ground; pranamet—should offer obeisances; dandavat—straight, with the whole body; muda—with great satisfaction.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, one should silently murmur the mantra 108 times and offer prayers to the Lord for His glorification. Then one should circumambulate the Lord and finally, with great delight and satisfaction, offer obeisances, falling straight like a rod [dandavat].

SB8.16.43

TEXT 43

krtva sirasi tac-chesam

devam udvasayet tatah

dvy-avaran bhojayed vipran

payasena yathocitam

SYNONYMS

krtva—taking; sirasi—on the head; tat-sesam—all the remnants (the water and flowers offered to the Deity); devam—unto the Deity; udvasayet—should be thrown into a sacred place; tatah—thereafter; dvi-avaran—a minimum of two; bhojayet—should feed; vipranbrahmanas; payasena—with sweet rice; yatha-ucitam—as each deserves.

TRANSLATION

After touching to one’s head all the flowers and water offered to the Deity, one should throw them into a sacred place. Then one should feed at least two brahmanas with sweet rice.

SB8.16.44-45

TEXTS 44–45

bhunjita tair anujnatah

sestah sesam sabhajitaih

brahmacary atha tad-ratryam

svo bhute prathame ’hani

snatah sucir yathoktena

vidhina susamahitah

payasa snapayitvarced

yavad vrata-samapanam

SYNONYMS

bhunjita—should take the prasada; taih—by the brahmanas; anujnatah—being permitted; sa-istah—with friends and relatives; sesam—the remnants; sabhajitaih—properly honored; brahmacari—observance of celibacy; atha—of course; tat-ratryam—at night; svah bhute—at the end of the night, when the morning comes; prathame ahani—on the first day; snatah—bathing; sucih—becoming purified; yatha-uktena—as stated before; vidhina—by following the regulative principles; su-samahitah—with great attention; payasa—with milk; snapayitva—bathing the Deity; arcet—should offer worship; yavat—as long as; vrata-samapanam—the period of worship is not over.

TRANSLATION

One should perfectly honor the respectable brahmanas one has fed, and then, after taking their permission, one should take prasada with his friends and relatives. For that night, one should observe strict celibacy, and the next morning, after bathing again, with purity and attention one should bathe the Deity of Visnu with milk and worship Him according to the methods formerly stated in detail.

SB8.16.46

TEXT 46

payo-bhakso vratam idam

cared visnv-arcanadrtah

purvavaj juhuyad agnim

brahmanams capi bhojayet

SYNONYMS

payah-bhaksah—one who drinks milk only; vratam idam—this process of worshiping with a vow; caret—one should execute; visnu-arcana-adrtah—worshiping Lord Visnu with great faith and devotion; purva-vat—as prescribed previously; juhuyat—one should offer oblations; agnim—into the fire; brahmanan—unto the brahmanas; ca api—as well as; bhojayet—should feed.

TRANSLATION

Worshiping Lord Visnu with great faith and devotion and living only by drinking milk, one should follow this vow. One should also offer oblations to the fire and feed the brahmanas as mentioned before.

SB8.16.47

TEXT 47

evam tv ahar ahah kuryad

dvadasaham payo-vratam

harer aradhanam homam

arhanam dvija-tarpanam

SYNONYMS

evam—in this way; tu—indeed; ahah ahah—day after day; kuryat—should execute; dvadasa-aham—until twelve days; payah-vratam—the observance of the vrata known as payo-vrata; hareh aradhanam—worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead; homam—by executing a fire sacrifice; arhanam—worshiping the Deity; dvija-tarpanam—and satisfying the brahmanas by feeding them.

TRANSLATION

In this way, until twelve days have passed, one should observe this payo-vrata, worshiping the Lord every day, executing the routine duties, performing sacrifices and feeding the brahmanas.

SB8.16.48

TEXT 48

pratipad-dinam arabhya

yavac chukla-trayodasim

brahmacaryam adhah-svapnam

snanam tri-savanam caret

SYNONYMS

pratipat-dinam—on the day of pratipat; arabhya—beginning; yavat—until; sukla—of the bright fortnight; trayodasim—the thirteenth day of the moon (the second day after Ekadasi); brahmacaryam—observing complete celibacy; adhah-svapnam—lying down on the floor; snanam—bathing; tri-savanam—three times (morning, evening and noon); caret—one should execute.

TRANSLATION

From pratipat until the thirteenth day of the next bright moon [sukla-trayodasi], one should observe complete celibacy, sleep on the floor, bathe three times a day and thus execute the vow.

SB8.16.49

TEXT 49

varjayed asad-alapam

bhogan uccavacams tatha

ahimsrah sarva-bhutanam

vasudeva-parayanah

SYNONYMS

varjayet—one should give up; asat-alapam—unnecessary talk on material subject matters; bhogan—sense gratification; ucca-avacan—superior or inferior; tatha—as well as; ahimsrah—without being envious; sarva-bhutanam—of all living entities; vasudeva-parayanah—simply being a devotee of Lord Vasudeva.

TRANSLATION

During this period, one should not unnecessarily talk of material subjects or topics of sense gratification, one should be completely free from envy of all living entities, and one should be a pure and simple devotee of Lord Vasudeva.

SB8.16.50

TEXT 50

trayodasyam atho visnoh

snapanam pancakair vibhoh

karayec chastra-drstena

vidhina vidhi-kovidaih

SYNONYMS

trayodasyam—on the thirteenth day of the moon; atho—thereafter; visnoh—of Lord Visnu; snapanam—bathing; pancakaih—by pancamrta, five substances; vibhoh—the Lord; karayet—one should execute; sastra-drstena—enjoined in the scripture; vidhina—under regulative principles; vidhi-kovidaih—assisted by the priests who know the regulative principles.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, following the directions of the sastra with help from brahmanas who know the sastra, on the thirteenth day of the moon one should bathe Lord Visnu with five substances [milk, yogurt, ghee, sugar and honey].

SB8.16.51-52

TEXTS 51–52,

pujam ca mahatim kuryad

vitta-sathya-vivarjitah

carum nirupya payasi

sipivistaya visnave

suktena tena purusam

yajeta susamahitah

naivedyam catigunavad

dadyat purusa-tustidam

SYNONYMS

pujam—worship; ca—also; mahatim—very gorgeous; kuryat—should do; vitta-sathya—miserly mentality (not spending sufficient money); vivarjitah—giving up; carum—grains offered in the yajna; nirupya—seeing properly; payasi—with milk; sipivistaya—unto the Supersoul, who is situated in the heart of every living entity; visnave—unto Lord Visnu; suktena—by chanting the Vedic mantra known as purusa-sukta; tena—by that; purusam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yajeta—one should worship; su-samahitah—with great attention; naivedyam—food offered to the Deity; ca—and; ati-guna-vat—prepared very gorgeously with all varieties of taste; dadyat—should offer; purusa-tusti-dam—everything extremely pleasing to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

Giving up the miserly habit of not spending money, one should arrange for the gorgeous worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, who is situated in the heart of every living entity. With great attention, one must prepare an oblation of grains boiled in ghee and milk and must chant the Purusa-sukta mantra. The offerings of food should be of varieties of tastes. In this way, one should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB8.16.53

TEXT 53

acaryam jnana-sampannam

vastrabharana-dhenubhih

tosayed rtvijas caiva

tad viddhy aradhanam hareh

SYNONYMS

acaryam—the spiritual master; jnana-sampannam—very advanced in spiritual knowledge; vastra-abharana-dhenubhih—with clothing, ornaments and many cows; tosayet—should satisfy; rtvijah—the priests recommended by the spiritual master; ca eva—as well as; tat viddhi—try to understand that; aradhanam—worship; hareh—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

One should satisfy the spiritual master [acarya], who is very learned in Vedic literature, and should satisfy his assistant priests [known as hota, udgata, adhvaryu and brahma]. One should please them by offering them clothing, ornaments and cows. This is the ceremony called visnu-aradhana, or worship of Lord Visnu.

SB8.16.54

TEXT 54

bhojayet tan gunavata

sad-annena suci-smite

anyams ca brahmanan chaktya

ye ca tatra samagatah

SYNONYMS

bhojayet—should distribute prasada; tan—unto all of them; guna-vata—by rich foods; sat-annena—with food prepared with ghee and milk, which is supposed to be very pure; suci-smite—O most pious lady; anyan ca—others also; brahmananbrahmanas; saktya—as far as possible; ye—all of them who; ca—also; tatra—there (at the ceremonies); samagatah—assembled.

TRANSLATION

O most auspicious lady, one should perform all the ceremonies under the direction of learned acaryas and should satisfy them and their priests. By distributing prasada, one should also satisfy the brahmanas and others who have assembled.

SB8.16.55

TEXT 55

daksinam gurave dadyad

rtvigbhyas ca yatharhatah

annadyenasva-pakams ca

prinayet samupagatan

SYNONYMS

daksinam—some contribution of money or gold; gurave—unto the spiritual master; dadyat—one should give; rtvigbhyah ca—and to the priests engaged by the spiritual master; yatha-arhatah—as far as possible; anna-adyena—by distributing prasada; asva-pakan—even to the candalas, persons habituated to eating the flesh of dogs; ca—also; prinayet—one should please; samupagatan—because they have assembled there for the ceremony.

TRANSLATION

One should satisfy the spiritual master and assistant priests by giving them cloth, ornaments, cows and also some monetary contribution. And by distributing prasada one should satisfy everyone assembled, including even the lowest of men, the candalas [eaters of dog flesh].

PURPORT

In the Vedic system, prasada is distributed, as recommended here, without discrimination as to who may take the prasada. Regardless of whether one be a brahmana, sudra, vaisya, ksatriya, or even the lowest of men, a candala, he should be welcome to accept prasada. However, when the candalas, the lower class or poorer class, are taking prasada, this does not mean that they have become Narayana or Visnu. Narayana is situated in everyone’s heart, but this does not mean Narayana is a candala or poor man. The Mayavada philosophy of accepting a poor man as Narayana is the most envious and atheistic movement in Vedic culture. This mentality should be completely given up. Everyone should be given the opportunity to take prasada, but this does not mean that everyone has the right to become Narayana.

SB8.16.56

TEXT 56

bhuktavatsu ca sarvesu

dinandha-krpanadisu

visnos tat prinanam vidvan

bhunjita saha bandhubhih

SYNONYMS

bhuktavatsu—after feeding; ca—also; sarvesu—everyone present there; dina—very poor; andha—blind; krpana—those who are not brahmanas; adisu—and so on; visnoh—of Lord Visnu, who is situated in everyone’s heart; tat—that (prasada); prinanam—pleasing; vidvan—one who understands this philosophy; bhunjita—should take prasada himself; saha—with; bandhubhih—friends and relatives.

TRANSLATION

One should distribute visnu-prasada to everyone, including the poor man, the blind man, the nondevotee and the non-brahmana. Knowing that Lord Visnu is very pleased when everyone is sumptuously fed with visnu-prasada, the performer of yajna should then take prasada with his friends and relatives.

SB8.16.57

TEXT 57

nrtya-vaditra-gitais ca

stutibhih svasti-vacakaih

karayet tat-kathabhis ca

pujam bhagavato ’nvaham

SYNONYMS

nrtya—by dancing; vaditra—by beating the drum; gitaih—and by singing; ca—also; stutibhih—by chanting auspicious mantras; svasti-vacakaih—by offering prayers; karayet—should execute; tat-kathabhih—by reciting the Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita and similar literature; ca—also; pujam—worship; bhagavatah—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu; anvaham—every day (from pratipat to trayodasi).

TRANSLATION

Every day from pratipat to trayodasi, one should continue the ceremony, to the accompaniment of dancing, singing, the beating of a drum, the chanting of prayers and all-auspicious mantras, and recitation of Srimad-Bhagavatam. In this way, one should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB8.16.58

TEXT 58

etat payo-vratam nama

purusaradhanam param

pitamahenabhihitam

maya te samudahrtam

SYNONYMS

etat—this; payah-vratam—ceremony known as payo-vrata; nama—by that name; purusa-aradhanam—the process of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead; param—the best; pitamahena—by my grandfather, Lord Brahma; abhihitam—stated; maya—by me; te—unto you; samudahrtam—described in all details.

TRANSLATION

This is the religious ritualistic ceremony known as payo-vrata, by which one may worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I received this information from Brahma, my grandfather, and now I have described it to you in all details.

SB8.16.59

TEXT 59

tvam canena maha-bhage

samyak cirnena kesavam

atmana suddha-bhavena

niyatatma bhajavyayam

SYNONYMS

tvam ca—you also; anena—by this process; maha-bhage—O greatly fortunate one; samyak cirnena—executed properly; kesavam—unto Lord Kesava; atmana—by oneself; suddha-bhavena—in a pure state of mind; niyata-atma—controlling oneself; bhaja—go on worshiping; avyayam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is inexhaustible.

TRANSLATION

O most fortunate lady, establishing your mind in a good spirit, execute this process of payo-vrata and thus worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kesava, who is inexhaustible.

SB8.16.60

TEXT 60

ayam vai sarva-yajnakhyah

sarva-vratam iti smrtam

tapah-saram idam bhadre

danam cesvara-tarpanam

SYNONYMS

ayam—this; vai—indeed; sarva-yajna—all kinds of religious rituals and sacrifices; akhyah—called; sarva-vratam—all religious ceremonies; iti—thus; smrtam—understood; tapah-saram—the essence of all austerities; idam—this; bhadre—O good lady; danam—acts of charity; ca—and; isvara—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tarpanam—the process of pleasing.

TRANSLATION

This payo-vrata is also known as sarva-yajna. In other words, by performing this sacrifice one can perform all other sacrifices automatically. This is also acknowledged to be the best of all ritualistic ceremonies. O gentle lady, it is the essence of all austerities, and it is the process of giving charity and pleasing the supreme controller.

PURPORT

Aradhananam sarvesam visnor aradhanam param. This is a statement made by Lord Siva to Parvati. Worshiping Lord Visnu is the supreme process of worship. And how Lord Visnu is worshiped in this payo-vrata ceremony has now been fully described. The ultimate goal of life is to please Lord Visnu by varnasrama-dharma. The Vedic principles of four varnas and four asramas are meant for worship of Visnu (visnur aradhyate pumsam nanyat tat-tosa-karanam). The Krsna consciousness movement is also visnu-aradhanam, or worship of Lord Visnu, according to the age. The payo-vrata method of visnu-aradhanam was enunciated long, long ago by Kasyapa Muni to his wife, Aditi, in the heavenly planets, and the same process is bona fide on earth even now. Especially for this age of Kali, the process accepted by the Krsna consciousness movement is to open hundreds and thousands of Visnu temples (temples of Radha-Krsna, Jagannatha, Balarama, Sita-Rama, Gaura-Nitai and so on). Performing prescribed worship in such temples of Visnu and thus worshiping the Lord is as good as performing the payo-vrata ceremony recommended here. The payo-vrata ceremony is performed from the first to the thirteenth day of the bright fortnight of the moon, but in our Krsna consciousness movement Lord Visnu is worshiped in every temple according to a schedule of twenty-four hours of engagement in performing kirtana, chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, offering palatable food to Lord Visnu and distributing this food to Vaisnavas and others. These are authorized activities, and if the members of the Krsna consciousness movement stick to these principles, they will achieve the same result one gains by observing the payo-vrata ceremony. Thus the essence of all auspicious activities, such as performing yajna, giving in charity, observing vratas, and undergoing austerities, is included in the Krsna consciousness movement. The members of this movement should immediately and sincerely follow the processes already recommended. Of course, sacrifice is meant to please Lord Visnu. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah: [SB 11.5.32] in Kali-yuga, those who are intelligent perform the sankirtana-yajna. One should follow this process conscientiously.

SB8.16.61

TEXT 61

ta eva niyamah saksat

ta eva ca yamottamah

tapo danam vratam yajno

yena tusyaty adhoksajah

SYNONYMS

te—that is; eva—indeed; niyamah—all regulative principles; saksat—directly; te—that is; eva—indeed; ca—also; yama-uttamah—the best process of controlling the senses; tapah—austerities; danam—charity; vratam—observing vows; yajnah—sacrifice; yena—by which process; tusyati—is very pleased; adhoksajah—the Supreme Lord, who is not perceived by material senses.

TRANSLATION

This is the best process for pleasing the transcendental Supreme Personality of Godhead, known as Adhoksaja. It is the best of all regulative principles, the best austerity, the best process of giving charity, and the best process of sacrifice.

PURPORT

The Supreme Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (18.66):

sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.” Unless one pleases the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to His demand, no good result will come from any of his actions.

dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena-kathasu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam

“The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead.” (Bhag. 1.2.8) If one is not interested in satisfying Lord Visnu, Vasudeva, all his so-called auspicious activities are fruitless. Moghasa mogha-karmano mogha-jnana vicetasah: [Bg. 9.12] because he is bewildered, he is baffled in his hopes, baffled in his activities, and baffled in his knowledge. In this regard, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti remarks, napumsakam anapumsakenety-adinaikatvam. One cannot equate the potent and the impotent. Among modern Mayavadis it has become fashionable to say that whatever one does or whatever path one follows is all right. But these are all foolish statements. Here it is forcefully affirmed that this is the only method for success in life. Isvara-tarpanam vina sarvam eva viphalam. Unless Lord Visnu is satisfied, all of one’s pious activities, ritualistic ceremonies and yajnas are simply for show and have no value. Unfortunately, foolish people do not know the secret of success. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know that real self-interest ends in pleasing Lord Visnu.

SB8.16.62

TEXT 62

tasmad etad vratam bhadre

prayata sraddhayacara

bhagavan paritustas te

varan asu vidhasyati

SYNONYMS

tasmat—therefore; etat—this; vratam—observance of a vrata ceremony; bhadre—my dear gentle lady; prayata—by observing rules and regulations; sraddhaya—with faith; acara—execute; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; paritustah—being very satisfied; te—unto you; varan—benedictions; asu—very soon; vidhasyati—will bestow.

TRANSLATION

Therefore, my dear gentle lady, follow this ritualistic vow, strictly observing the regulative principles. By this process, the Supreme Person will very soon be pleased with you and will satisfy all your desires.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Eighth Canto, Sixteenth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “Executing the Payo-vrata Process of Worship.”

Next chapter (SB 8.17)