FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.17.34

यस्मिन् हरिर्भगवानिज्यमान इज्यात्ममूर्तिर्यजतां शं तनोति । कामानमोघान् स्थिरजङ्गमाना- मन्तर्बहिर्वायुरिवैष आत्मा ॥ ३४ ॥
yasmin harir bhagavān ijyamāna
[yasmin harir bhagavaan ijyamaana]
ijyātma-mūrtir yajatāṁ śaṁ tanoti
[ijyaatma-moortir yajataam sham tanoti]
kāmān amoghān sthira-jaṅgamānām
[kaamaan amoghaan sthira-jangamaanaam]
antar bahir vāyur ivaiṣa ātmā
[antar bahir vaayur ivaisha aatmaa]
yasmin — in such sacrificial ceremonies hariḥ — the Supreme Lord bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead ijyamānaḥ — being worshiped ijya-ātma — the soul of all worshipable deities mūrtiḥ — in the forms yajatām — those who worship śam — welfare tanoti — spreads kāmān — desires amoghān — inviolable sthira-jaṅgamānām — of all the moving and nonmoving antaḥ — within bahiḥ — outside vāyuḥ — air iva — like eṣaḥ — of all of them ātmā — spirit soul.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yasmin harir bhagavān ijyamāna
yasmin
in such sacrificial ceremonies
hariḥ
the Supreme Lord
bhagavān
the Personality of Godhead
ijyamānaḥ
being worshiped
ijyātma-mūrtir yajatāṁ śaṁ tanoti
ijya-ātma
the soul of all worshipable deities
mūrtiḥ
in the forms
yajatām
those who worship
śam
welfare
tanoti
spreads
kāmān amoghān sthira-jaṅgamānām
kāmān
desires
amoghān
inviolable
sthira-jaṅgamānām
of all the moving and nonmoving
antaḥ
within
antar bahir vāyur ivaiṣa ātmā
bahiḥ
outside
vāyuḥ
air
iva
like
eṣaḥ
of all of them
ātmā
spirit soul.
In all sacrificial ceremonies, although sometimes a demigod is worshiped, the Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead is worshiped because He is the Supersoul of everyone, and exists both inside and outside like the air. Thus it is He only who awards all welfare to the worshiper.

It is even sometimes seen that demigods like Indra and Candra are worshiped and offered sacrificial awards, yet the rewards of all such sacrifices are awarded to the worshiper by the Supreme Lord, and it is the Lord only who can offer all welfare to the worshiper. The demigods, although worshiped, cannot do anything without the sanction of the Lord because the Lord is the Supersoul of everyone, both moving and nonmoving.

In Bhagavad-gītā (9.23) the Lord Himself confirms this in the following śloka:

ye ’py anya-devatā-bhaktā yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ te ’pi mām eva kaunteya yajanty avidhi-pūrvakam

“Whatever a man may sacrifice to other gods, O son of Kuntī, is really meant for Me alone, but it is offered without true understanding.”

The fact is that the Supreme Lord is one without a second. There is no God other than the Lord Himself. Thus the Supreme Lord is eternally transcendental to the material creation. But there are many who worship the demigods like the sun, the moon and Indra, who are only material representatives of the Supreme Lord. These demigods are indirect, qualitative representations of the Supreme Lord. A learned scholar or devotee, however, knows who is who. Therefore he directly worships the Supreme Lord and is not diverted by the material, qualitative representations. Those who are not so learned worship such qualitative, material representations, but their worship is unceremonious because it is irregular.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
You cannot reside where the Lord, Bhagavān, who is the soul of the devatās, who exists inside and outside like the air, being worshipped, distributes material and spiritual prosperity, what is useful to all moving and non-moving beings to the worshipper.
Commentary

“But the devatās should also be worshipped, not just Bhagavān.” He is the soul of those who are worshipped such as Indra. Or they are forms of him alone. He distributes material happiness (kāmān) for us citizens moving and non-moving, and spiritual happiness (śam). Like air, he can be realized inside and outside. If you exist here, this will not be the situation.

In all sacrificial ceremonies the Supreme Lord, the Supersoul of everyone, is worshiped — He exists inside and outside like air. Sacrifices reach Him directly because He is everywhere.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I treating the Lord as far when sacrifice would prove Him near?
  • What simple offering today could reach Him?
📝 My note

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