सहयज्ञा: प्रजा: सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापति: |
अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक् || 10||
saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛiṣhṭvā purovācha prajāpatiḥ
anena prasaviṣhyadhvam eṣha vo ’stviṣhṭa-kāma-dhuk
saha—along with; yajñāḥ—sacrifices; prajāḥ—humankind; sṛiṣhṭvā—created; purā—in beginning; uvācha—said; prajā-patiḥ—Brahma; anena—by this; prasaviṣhyadhvam—increase prosperity; eṣhaḥ—these; vaḥ—your; astu—shall be; iṣhṭa-kāma-dhuk—bestower of all wishes
Translation:
Having created mankind together with yajna in the beginning, Brahma (Creator) said – “By this shall you propagate; it shall be to you the milk-cow of desires, the wish-fulfilling heavenly cow Kamadhenu.”
Commentary:
The moment when mankind was created, that very moment the ways and means for their prosperity and freedom were also brought into the world. The Lord’s mercy is infinite. He knew that man would plunge into all kinds of action and get himself caught in the wheel of samsara, and suffer pain and sorrow endlessly. So along with man, the Creator introduced into the world several types of yajnas which would help mankind in their journey through life to final perfection.
Yajna means an act of dedication to God or service to humanity or meditation on God the Supreme Reality.
Milk-cow of desires: The yajna is said to yield all the good things that man needs in his journey through life. Man needs above everything else the removal of sorrow and the attainment of peace. They can be achieved by performing yajna. Therefore it is compared to the wish-fulfilling Kamadhenu of Heaven. Not only the spiritual welfare of mankind but also their material prosperity is answered by the performance of yajna.
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 3 🔻 (43 Verses)
Question: What did Brahma create along with mankind?
Answer: Yajna – good and godly works.
Question: What is its use?
Answer: It helps the spiritual growth of man and like the Kamadhenu, it confers all the good things of life here and hereafter.
