पश्यामि विप्राः किमतः परं तु ।
यस्मिन्नृभिः प्रहुतं श्रद्धयाह
मश्नामि कामं न तथाग्निहोत्रे ॥२३॥
na brÄhmaṇais tulaye bhÅ«tam anyat
paÅ›yÄmi viprÄḥ kim ataḥ paraá¹ tu
yasmin ná¹›bhiḥ prahutaá¹ Å›raddhayÄham
aÅ›nÄmi kÄmaá¹ na tathÄgni-hotre
4 times this text was mentioned in purports to other texts: LSB(4)
na - not; brÄhmaṇaiḥ - with the brÄhmaṇas; tulaye - I count as equal; bhÅ«tam - entity; anyat - other; paÅ›yÄmi - I can see; viprÄḥ - O assembled brÄhmaṇas; kim - anything; ataḥ - to the brÄhmaṇas; param - superior; tu - certainly; yasmin - through whom; ná¹›bhiḥ - by people; prahutam - food offered after ritualistic ceremonies are properly performed; Å›raddhayÄ - with faith and love; aham - I; aÅ›nÄmi - eat; kÄmam - with full satisfaction; na - not; tathÄ - in that way; agni-hotre - in the fire sacrifice.
O respectful brÄhmaṇas, as far as I am concerned, no one is equal or superior to the brÄhmaṇas in this world. I do not find anyone comparable to them. When people know My motive, after performing rituals according to the Vedic principles they offer food to Me with faith and love through the mouth of a brÄhmaṇa. When food is thus offered unto Me, I eat it with full satisfaction. Indeed, I derive more pleasure from food offered in that way than from the food offered in the sacrificial fire.
According to the Vedic system, after the sacrificial ceremony the brÄhmaṇas are invited to eat the remnants of the offered food. When the brÄhmaṇas eat the food, it is to be considered directly eaten by the Supreme Lord. Thus no one can be compared to qualified brÄhmaṇas. The perfection of evolution is to be situated on the brahminical platform. Any civilization not based on brahminical culture or guided by brÄhmaṇas is certainly a condemned civilization. Presently human civilization is based on sense gratification, and consequently more and more people are becoming addicted to different types of things. No one respects brahminical culture. Demoniac civilization is attached to ugra-karma, horrible activities, and big industries are created to satisfy unfathomable lusty desires. Consequently the people are greatly harassed by governmental taxation. The people are irreligious and do not perform the sacrifices recommended in Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ. YajñÄd bhavati parjanyaḥ: by the performance of sacrifice, clouds form and rain falls. Due to sufficient rainfall, there is sufficient production of food. Guided by the brÄhmaṇas, society should follow the principles of Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ. Then people will become very happy. AnnÄd bhavanti bhÅ«tÄni: when animals and man are sufficiently fed with grains, they become stronger, their hearts become tranquil and their brains peaceful. They can then advance in spiritual life, life’s ultimate destination.
