त्रय्या चतुर्होत्रकविद्यया च ।
त्वमेक आत्मात्मवतामनादि
रनन्तपारः कविरन्तरात्मा ॥३०॥
tvaá¹ sapta-tantÅ«n vitanoá¹£i tanvÄ
trayyÄ catur-hotraka-vidyayÄ ca
tvam eka ÄtmÄtmavatÄm anÄdir
ananta-pÄraḥ kavir antarÄtmÄ
tvam - you; sapta-tantÅ«n - the seven kinds of Vedic ritualistic ceremonies, beginning from the agniá¹£á¹oma-yajña; vitanoá¹£i - spread; tanvÄ - by your body; trayyÄ - the three Vedas; catuḥ-hotraka - of the four kinds of Vedic priests, known as hotÄ, adhvaryu, brahma and udgÄtÄ; vidyayÄ - by the necessary knowledge; ca - also; tvam - you; ekaḥ - one; ÄtmÄ - the Supersoul; Ätma-vatÄm - of all living entities; anÄdiḥ - without beginning; ananta-pÄraḥ - without end; kaviḥ - the supreme inspirer; antaḥ-ÄtmÄ - the Supersoul within the core of the heart.
My dear lord, by your form as the Vedas personified and through knowledge relating to the activities of all the yajñic brÄhmaṇas, you spread the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies of the seven kinds of sacrifices, headed by agniá¹£á¹oma. Indeed, you inspire the yajñic brÄhmaṇas to perform the rituals mentioned in the three Vedas. Being the Supreme Soul, the Supersoul of all living entities, you are beginningless, endless and omniscient, beyond the limits of time and space.
The Vedic ritualistic ceremonies, the knowledge thereof, and the person who agrees to perform them are inspired by the Supreme Soul. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ, mattaḥ smá¹›tir jñÄnam apohanaá¹ ca: from the Lord come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. The Supersoul is situated in everyone’s heart (sarvasya cÄhaá¹ há¹›di sanniviá¹£á¹aḥ, Ä«Å›varaḥ sarva-bhÅ«tÄnÄá¹ há¹›d-deÅ›e ’rjuna tiá¹£á¹hati), and when one is advanced in Vedic knowledge, the Supersoul gives him directions. Acting as Supersoul, the Lord gives inspiration to a suitable person to perform the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. In this connection, four classes of priests, known as á¹›tvik, are required. They are mentioned as hotÄ, adhvaryu, brahma and udgÄtÄ.
