तैस्तैः कामैर्यजस्वैनं क्षेत्रज्ञं ब्राह्मणाननु ॥१८॥
tasmÄd brÄhmaṇa-deveá¹£u
martyÄdiá¹£u yathÄrhataḥ
tais taiḥ kÄmair yajasvainaá¹
ká¹£etra-jñaá¹ brÄhmaṇÄn anu
tasmÄt - therefore; brÄhmaṇa-deveá¹£u - through the brÄhmaṇas and the demigods; martya-Ädiá¹£u - through ordinary human beings and other living entities; yathÄ-arhataḥ - according to your ability; taiḥ taiḥ - with all those; kÄmaiḥ - various objects of enjoyment such as sumptuous food, flower garlands, sandalwood paste, etc.; yajasva - you should worship; enam - this; ká¹£etra-jñam - Supreme Lord situated in the hearts of all beings; brÄhmaṇÄn - the brÄhmaṇas; anu - after.
Therefore, my dear King, first offer prasÄda unto the brÄhmaṇas and the demigods, and after sumptuously feeding them you may distribute prasÄda to other living entities according to your ability. In this way you will be able to worship all living entities — or, in other words, the supreme living entity within every living entity.
To distribute prasÄda to all living entities, the process is that we must first offer prasÄda to the brÄhmaṇas and the Vaiṣṇavas, for the demigods are represented by the brÄhmaṇas. In this way the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated in everyone’s heart, will be worshiped. This is the Vedic system of offering prasÄda. Whenever there is a ceremony for distribution of prasÄda, the prasÄda is offered first to the brÄhmaṇas, then to the children and old men, then to the women, and then to animals like dogs and other domestic animals. When it is said that NÄrÄyaṇa, the Supreme Being, is situated in everyone’s heart, this does not mean that everyone has become NÄrÄyaṇa or that a particular poor man has become NÄrÄyaṇa. Such a conclusion is rejected herein.
