SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
nāyaṁ loko ’sty ayajñasya
kuto ’nyaḥ kuru-sattama
‘To the non-sacrificer, this world is not; whence the other (world), O Kuru-best!?.’
To the man, who is without yajña (sacrifice), —i.e. who does not perform the Mahayajñas[1. The five Great Sacraments or Acts of Divine Worship ordained for every holy man are:- 1. Adhyāpana = The teaching of the Sacred Scriptures, etc., called Brahma-yajña. 2. Tarpaṇa = The oblation of water, food, etc., called Pitṛi-yajña. 3. Homa = The offering of clarified butter, etc., into fire, called Deva-yajña. 4. Bali = The distribution of food to creatures in general, called Bhūta-yajña. 5. Athiti-pūjana = entertainment of holy guests, called Nṛi-yajña. Vide Manu, III 69 to 73.] and other enjoined daily (nitya[2. The daily duties (nitya) are Snāna, Sandhyā, Vaiśvadeva-brahma-yajña, Deva-ṛshi-pitṛi-tarpaṇa, and Aupāsana. The occassioned (naimittika) are the Śrāddhās, Tarpaṇas, etc., performed on the Eclipse-day, Saṇkranti, Mahālaya, etc., Pūrva-Mīmāmsa says: ‘nitya naimittika karmācharaṇe phalam nāsti; akaraṇe pratyavāyaḥ’.]) occassional (naimittika[3. The daily duties (nitya) are Snāna, Sandhyā, Vaiśvadeva-brahma-yajña, Deva-ṛshi-pitṛi-tarpaṇa, and Aupāsana. The occassioned (naimittika) are the Śrāddhās, Tarpaṇas, etc., performed on the Eclipse-day, Saṇkranti, Mahālaya, etc., Pūrva-Mīmāmsa says: ‘nitya naimittika karmācharaṇe phalam nāsti; akaraṇe pratyavāyaḥ’.]) etc, sacrificial acts,— this world is not, i.e., no profit does he derive in the material regions, such as those which mankind aspire for, dharma[4. Dharma and Artha are Sādhanas (means); Kāma and Moksha are Sādhyas(ends or goals).], (Sastra-enjoined duties etc., which promises rewards in this or other material worlds), artha[5. Dharma and Artha are Sādhanas (means); Kāma and Moksha are Sādhyas(ends or goals).] (riches and prosperity in general), and kāma[6. Dharma and Artha are Sādhanas (means); Kāma and Moksha are Sādhyas(ends or goals).] (desires or enjoyments). While such is the case, how is the man, without yajñas, to achieve that ambition of his, —the other than all these— called moksha[7. Dharma and Artha are Sādhanas (means); Kāma and Moksha are Sādhyas(ends or goals).] (final liberation, or spiritual state)?
Moksha is the Noblest Ambition for man. As all the discourse (of Gītā) is about moksha, the term ‘this world’ (ayam loka) is used with reference to the other (three) ambitions of man (dharma etc.), and these (latter) are material.
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