The Lord of All Sacrifices
Continuing his discourse, Sukadeva Goswami explained the Supreme Lord's nature and His relationship to all of creation. He described how the Lord is simultaneously the creator, maintainer, and destroyer of the entire cosmic manifestation. Just as the sun is the source of all light and heat in the solar system, the Supreme Lord (Narayana or Krishna) is the ultimate source and shelter of all existence. Nothing can exist independent of Him; everything that exists is an emanation of His material and spiritual energies. The Vedic scriptures declare, "Vasudeva sarvam iti" - Vasudeva (Krishna) is everything, and this is the ultimate conclusion of all Vedic knowledge.
Sukadeva elaborated on the concept of yajna (sacrifice or ritual worship). In Vedic civilization, yajna was the central activity through which people would worship the Supreme Lord and the demigods (celestial beings representing various aspects of nature). Every yajna was ultimately meant to please the Lord and maintain harmony between the human world, the celestial realm, and nature. However, Sukadeva explained that the modern age of Kali-yuga is characterized by degradation of all practices, including the performance of yajnas. Most people lack the resources, knowledge, and purity required to perform elaborate Vedic rituals. Moreover, in this age, the simplest and most effective method of worship is not through complicated rituals but through the chanting of the holy names of God.
The significance of yajna extends beyond mere ritual performance. Sukadeva explained that yajna represents the principle of offering one's resources and actions to the Supreme Lord as a means of purification and spiritual elevation. A person who works hard but dedicates the fruits of their labor to the Lord is essentially performing yajna in the modern sense. Even eating food after offering it to the Lord (making it prasadam or sanctified remnants) is a form of yajna. The essence of yajna is to acknowledge that everything belongs to the Lord and to act in the spirit of service rather than selfish exploitation.
Sukadeva further described the demigods as being administrators of the cosmic functions under the Supreme Lord's direction. Just as a king appoints different ministers to manage various departments, the Lord has delegated the responsibilities of maintaining the sun, the moon, the wind, the rain, and all other natural phenomena to powerful celestial beings. However, these demigods themselves ultimately depend on the Supreme Lord. The mistake many philosophers make is to worship these demigods thinking they are independent controllers, when in fact they are all servants of the Supreme Lord. True wisdom consists in understanding this hierarchy and directing all worship and respect to the ultimate source, Lord Krishna.
Sukadeva concluded this chapter by explaining that the science of devotional service is the ultimate knowledge because it teaches one to appreciate and worship the Supreme Controller directly, rather than getting lost in the maze of material distinctions and hierarchies. A devotee who understands that Krishna is the Lord of all sacrifices and the ultimate beneficiary of all worship will naturally transcend all material calculations and surrender completely to His lotus feet. This surrender is not a sign of weakness but of supreme intelligence and strength, for one has recognized the proper position of the self in relation to the Absolute Truth.