Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.69.24
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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vitāna-agnīn
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the sacrificial fires
Compound: vitāna (spread, extended) + agni (fire). The arrayed sacrificial fires of the Vedic ritualist. Kṛṣṇa, who is Himself the agni (BG 9.16: ahaṁ kratur ahaṁ yajñaḥ), offers oblations into agni — Bhagavān worshipping His own form to teach the practice.
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pañcabhiḥ makhaiḥ
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with the five obligatory rituals
Compound: pañca (five) + makha (sacrifice). The pañca-mahā-yajñas — daily duties of a Vedic householder: deva-yajña, pitṛ-yajña, bhūta-yajña, manuṣya-yajña, brahma-yajña. Kṛṣṇa performs them not because He owes them but to model gṛhastha-dharma.
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bhojayantam dvijān
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feeding the brāhmaṇas
Causative participle of √bhuj + dvija (twice-born, brāhmaṇa). Feeding brāhmaṇas is one of the householder's central duties. Kṛṣṇa, brahmaṇya-deva (cf. v.15), enacts the duty by which all householders gain merit.
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bhuñjānam avaśeṣitam
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eating remnants
Present participle of √bhuj + avaśeṣita (left over). The śāstric ideal: the gṛhastha eats only what remains after guests and dependents are fed. Bhagavān, source of all food, eats brāhmaṇa-leftovers — the chapter's reversal repeated at the table.
The five mahā-yajñas, or great sacrifices, are defined as follows: pāṭho homaś cātithīnāṁ saparyā tarpaṇaṁ baliḥ — “reciting the Vedas, offering oblations into the sacrificial fire, waiting on guests, making offerings to the forefathers, and offering [a share of one’s food] to living entities in general.” Śrīla Prabhupāda comments as follows on these sacrifices: “In another palace Kṛṣṇa was found performing the pañca-yajña sacrifice, which is compulsory for a householder. This yajña is also known as pañca-sūnā. Knowingly or unknowingly, everyone, specifically the householder, is committing five kinds of sinful activities. When we receive water from a water pitcher, we kill many germs that are in it. Similarly, when we use a grinding machine or take foodstuffs, we kill many germs. When sweeping the floor or igniting a fire we kill many germs, and when we walk on the street we kill many ants and other insects. Consciously or unconsciously, in all our different activities, we are killing. Therefore, it is incumbent upon every householder to perform the pañca-sūnā sacrifice to rid himself of the reactions to such sinful activities.” Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, in his commentary on this verse, again points out that all the different times of the day were occurring simultaneously in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s palaces. Thus Nārada saw a fire sacrifice — a morning ritual — and at about the same time he saw Lord Kṛṣṇa feeding the brāhmaṇas and accepting their remnants — a noontime activity.
In one palace he was offering oblations in the avahaniya (vitana) fire. There, it was morning before noon. In another palace he was performing the five maha yajnas: reading the Vedas, sacrifice , serving guests, tarpana and offerings to the animals. In that house it was noon. In another house he was feeding others and eating. There it was afternoon.
The five mahā-yajñas are pāṭho homaś cātithīnāṁ saparyā tarpaṇaṁ baliḥ: reciting the Vedas, offering oblations into the sacrificial fire, waiting on guests, making offerings to the forefathers, and offering food to living entities in general. He performed worship through these five sacrifices. He ate food remnants. The last are actions performed at noon.
The five mahā-yajñas are pāṭho homaś cātithīnāṁ saparyā tarpaṇaṁ baliḥ: reciting the Vedas, offering oblations into the sacrificial fire, waiting on guests, making offerings to the forefathers, and offering food to living entities in general. He performed worship through these five sacrifices. These are actions of midday. Thus Nārada arrived at noon. Or in talking to Kṛṣṇa, noon passed.
- Which of the five daily sacrifices is most neglected in my householder life?
- What small daily yajña could I begin this week?
A householder who simultaneously kindles the sacred fire, performs the five daily yajñas, feeds visiting brāhmaṇas, and then eats only what they have left — is exhibiting the textbook of gṛhastha-dharma all at once. Kṛṣṇa is teaching the textbook by being it: in different palaces, every page of householder ritual is being lived in parallel.
My note
Source: vedabase.io