Brahma Vaivarta Purana Chapter 21:51-60

Brahma Vaivarta Purana

Çryäga-bi Indra-haïjana

Breaking the Indra-yajïa

Chapter 21: Verse 51-60

ENGLISH TRANSLATION 51.Some worship brings results in both this life and the next. Some worship does not bring any results in either this life or the next. Worship that is not ordered by the Vedas is a box of sufferings and calamities. 52.Is this worship a recent invention or an ancient tradition passed down through many generations? Have you seen the demigod worshiped, or is the worship performed without seeing him? 53.Does the demigods directly eat the offerings or not? The worship is better when the demigod directly eats. 54.The Vedas declare that the brähmaëas are the demigods of the earth. Worship of the brähmaëas is better than all other kinds of worship. 55.The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viñëu, enters the brähmaëas and eats through them. When a brähmaëa is pleased, then all the demigods are pleased also. 56.Why would a person engaged in worshiping the brähmanas worship the demigods? When the brähmanas are worshiped then all the demigods are worshiped automatically. 57.If a person offers food to a demigod and then does not offer it also to a brähmaëa, then his property becomes burned to ashes and his worship becomes fruitless. 58.If one gives in charity to a brähmaëa the foods offered to a demigod, the demigod becomes pleased and offers limitless blessings. The donor goes to the world of the demigods. 59.If one offers food to a demigod and then eats the remnants himself, he robs the demigod's property. Such a person goes to hell. 60.The remnants of offerings to the demigods may not be eaten. Only the remnants of offerings to Lord Viñëu may be eaten. Offerings to Lord Viñëu are much better than offerings to the demigods.