karma brahmodbhavaà viddhi
brahmäkñara-samudbhavam
tasmät sarva-gataà brahma
nityaà yajïe pratiñöhitam
SYNONYMS
karma-work; brahma-from the Vedas; udbhavam-produced; viddhi-you
should know; brahma-the Vedas; akñara-from the Supreme Brahman
(Personality of Godhead); samudbhavam-directly manifested; tasmät-therefore;
sarva-gatam-all-pervading; brahma-transcendence; nityam-eternally; yajïe-in
sacrifice; pratiñöhitam-situated.
TRANSLATION
Regulated activities are prescribed in the Vedas, and the Vedas are directly manifested
from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Consequently the all-pervading Transcendence is
eternally situated in acts of sacrifice.
PURPORT
Yajïärtha-karma, or the necessity of work for the satisfaction of Kåñëa only,
is more expressly stated in this verse. If we have to work for the satisfaction of the yajïa-puruña,
Viñëu, then we must find out the direction of work in Brahman, or the transcendental Vedas.
The Vedas are therefore codes of working directions. Anything performed without the
direction of the Vedas is called vikarma, or unauthorized or sinful work.
Therefore, one should always take direction from the Vedas to be saved from the
reaction of work. As one has to work in ordinary life by the direction of the state, one
similarly has to work under direction of the supreme state of the Lord. Such directions in
the Vedas are directly manifested from the breathing of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. It is said, asya mahato bhütasya niçvasitam etad yad åg-vedo yajur-vedaù
sämavedo 'tharväìgirasaù. "The four Vedas-namely the Åg Veda,
Yajur Veda, Säma Veda, and Atharva Veda-are all emanations from the breathing
of the great Personality of Godhead." (Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad
4.5.11) The Lord, being omnipotent, can speak by breathing air, for as it is confirmed in
the Brahma-saàhitä, the Lord has the omnipotence to perform through each of His
senses the actions of all other senses. In other words, the Lord can speak through His
breathing, and He can impregnate by His eyes. In fact, it is said that He glanced over
material nature and thus fathered all living entities. After creating or impregnating the
conditioned souls into the womb of material nature, He gave His directions in the Vedic
wisdom as to how such conditioned souls can return home, back to Godhead. We should always
remember that the conditioned souls in material nature are all eager for material
enjoyment. But the Vedic directions are so made that one can satisfy one's perverted
desires, then return to Godhead, having finished his so-called enjoyment. It is a chance
for the conditioned souls to attain liberation; therefore the conditioned souls must try
to follow the process of yajïa by becoming Kåñëa conscious. Even those who have
not followed the Vedic injunctions may adopt the principles of Kåñëa consciousness, and
that will take the place of performance of Vedic yajïas, or karmas.