Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.13.25
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesChanting Is the Practical Sacrifice Today
“Śrī Maitreya replied: My dear Vidura, once the great King Aṅga arranged to perform the great sacrifice known as aśvamedha. All the expert brāhmaṇas present knew how to invite the demigods, but in spite of their efforts, no demigods participated or appeared in that sacrifice.”
What the purport teaches
- King Aṅga arranged an aśvamedha sacrifice, but no demigods appeared despite the expert brāhmaṇas' invitations.
- Formerly, powerful brāhmaṇas could invite demigods and give sacrificed animals renewed life through Vedic mantras. Such animal sacrifices are forbidden in this age because those qualified brāhmaṇas are absent.
- The only practical yajña in this age is saṅkīrtana-yajña, chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. The purport encourages chanting throughout the day.
Try this today
Set aside five minutes today to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.
Ask yourself
How can I make chanting a more regular part of my day?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.