Devanagari
दीक्षाया: पशुसंस्थाया: सौत्रामण्याश्च सत्तमा: ।
अन्यत्र दीक्षितस्यापि नान्नमश्नन् हि दुष्यति ॥ ८ ॥
Verse text
dīkṣāyāḥ paśu-saṁsthāyāḥ
sautrāmaṇyāś ca sattamāḥ
anyatra dīkṣitasyāpi
nānnam aśnan hi duṣyati
Synonyms
dīkṣāyāḥ
—
beginning with the initiation for a sacrifice
;
paśu
—
saṁsthāyāḥ — until sacrificing the animal
;
sautrāmaṇyāḥ
—
outside of the sacrifice known as Sautrāmaṇi
;
ca
—
and
;
sat
—
tamāḥ — O purest ones
;
anyatra
—
elsewhere
;
dīkṣitasya
—
of one who has been initiated for the sacrifice
;
api
—
even
;
na
—
not
;
annam
—
food
;
aśnan
—
eating
;
hi
—
indeed
;
duṣyati
—
creates offense .
Translation
Except during the interval between the initiation of the performer of a sacrifice and the actual sacrifice of the animal, O most pure brāhmaṇas, it is not contaminating for even the initiated to partake of food, at least in sacrifices other than the Sautrāmaṇi.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Except during the interval between the initiation of the performer of a sacrifice and the actual sacrifice of the animal, O most pure brāhmaṇas, it is not contaminating for even the initiated to partake of food, at least in sacrifices other than the Sautrāmaṇi.
KB 10.23.8
They also explained to the brāhmaṇas when food is to be accepted and when it is not to be accepted. Generally, the Vaiṣṇavas, or pure devotees of the Lord, do not take part in ordinary sacrificial performances. But they know very well the ceremonials called dīkṣā, paśu-saṁsthā and sautrāmaṇi. One is permitted to take food after the procedure of dīkṣā and before the animal sacrificial ceremony and the sautrāmaṇi, or ceremony in which liquors are also offered. The boys said, “We can take your food at the present stage of your ceremony, for now it will not be prohibited. So you can deliver us the food.”
Although the companions of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were simple cowherd boys, they were in a position to dictate even to the high-class brāhmaṇas engaged in the Vedic rituals of sacrifice.
Purport
The cowherd boys anticipated the possible objection from the
brāhmaṇas
that they couldn’t give the boys any food because they themselves had not yet eaten, and that a priest initiated to perform a sacrifice should not eat. Therefore the boys humbly informed the
brāhmaṇas
about various technicalities of ritualistic sacrifice. The cowherd boys were not unaware of the formalities of Vedic culture, but their real intention was simply to render loving service to Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Since the brahmanas may say that all the food in the sacrifice is inedible because of the scriptural rule that one should not eat food of those participating in sacrifice, the boys said, "From the beginning until the animal is killed this rule applies. But after that there is no fault in taking food." It is understood from this that the animal was already killed. This applies to all sacrifices except the sautramani sacrifice, in which none of the food can be eaten.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
They display their natural learning in this verse. The boys were familiar with various sacrifices such as the animal sacrifice. They use the word hi to indicate that the conclusion is definite, based on scriptural evidence. Eating is contaminating from the initiation until the animal sacrifice but not otherwise. In the sautrāmaṇi sacrifice eating is forbidden but not in other sacrifices. Knowing the other proper and improper time, we ask you for the food.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
This shows the boy’s learning. The sautrāmanī sacrifice is mentioned as an example. Hi indicates that this is well known in scriptures.