SB 5.26.18 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

यस्त्विह वा असंविभज्याश्नाति यत्किञ्चनोपनतमनिर्मितपञ्चयज्ञो वायससंस्तुत: स परत्र कृमिभोजने नरकाधमे निपतति तत्र शतसहस्रयोजने कृमिकुण्डे कृमिभूत: स्वयं कृमिभिरेव भक्ष्यमाण: कृमिभोजनो यावत्तदप्रत्ताप्रहूतादोऽनिर्वेशमात्मानं यातयते ॥ १८ ॥

Verse text

yas tv iha vā asaṁvibhajyāśnāti yat kiṣcanopanatam anirmita-paṣca-yajṣo vāyasa-saṁstutaḥ sa paratra kṛmibhojane narakādhame nipatati tatra śata-sahasra-yojane kṛmi-kuṇḍe kṛmi-bhūtaḥ svayaṁ kṛmibhir eva bhakṣyamāṇaḥ kṛmi-bhojano yāvat tad aprattāprahūtādo ’nirveśam ātmānaṁ yātayate.

Synonyms

yaḥ — any person who ; tu — but ; iha — in this life ; vā — or ; asaṁ — vibhajya — without dividing ; aśnāti — eats ; yat kiṣcana — whatever ; upanatam — obtained by Kṛṣṇa’s grace ; anirmita — not performing ; paṣca — yajṣaḥ — the five kinds of sacrifice ; vāyasa — with the crows ; saṁstutaḥ — who is described as equal ; saḥ — such a person ; paratra — in the next life ; kṛmibhojane — named Kṛmibhojana ; naraka — adhame — into the most abominable of all hells ; nipatati — falls down ; tatra — there ; śata — sahasra — yojane — measuring 100,000 yojanas (800,000 miles) ; kṛmi — kuṇḍe — in a lake of worms ; kṛmi — bhūtaḥ — becoming one of the worms ; svayam — he himself ; kṛmibhiḥ — by the other worms ; eva — certainly ; bhakṣyamāṇaḥ — being eaten ; kṛmi — bhojanaḥ — eating worms ; yāvat — as long as ; tat — that lake is wide ; apratta — aprahūta — unshared and unoffered food ; adaḥ — one who eats ; anirveśam — who has not performed atonement ; ātmānam — to himself ; yātayate — gives pain .

Translation

A person is considered no better than a crow if after receiving some food, he does not divide it among guests, old men and children, but simply eats it himself, or if he eats it without performing the five kinds of sacrifice. After death he is put into the most abominable hell, known as Kṛmibhojana. In that hell is a lake 100,000 yojanas [800,000 miles] wide and filled with worms. He becomes a worm in that lake and feeds on the other worms there, who also feed on him. Unless he atones for his actions before his death, such a sinful man remains in the hellish lake of Kṛmibhojana for as many years as there are yojanas in the width of the lake.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

The person who in this life eats what he obtains without sharing, without erforming the five sacrifices, who is praised as a crow, falls to Kṛmibhojana after death. There he becomes a worm in a lake of worms which measures 100,000 yojanas. There he is eaten by other worms and eats worms. As long as that sin remains, that person who eats unshared and unoffered food tortures his own body since he did not undergone atonement. He who eats what he attains (upanatam) with out sharing it, is described to be like a crow, or is praised by those equal to crows. He eats worms and is eaten by them. As long as the sin remains, the person who eats what is not shared (apratta) and which is unoffered (aprahūta) suffers, not having undergone atonement (anirveśam).

Purport

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (3.13) : yajṣa-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ bhuṣjate te tv agham pāpā ya pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt “The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is first offered for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.” All food is given to us by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān: the Lord supplies everyone with the necessities of life. Therefore we should acknowledge His mercy by performing yajṣa (sacrifice). This is the duty of everyone. Indeed, the sole purpose of life is to perform yajṣa. According to Kṛṣṇa ( Bg. 3.9 ): yajṣārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yam karma-bandhanaḥ tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya mukta-saṅgaḥ samācara “Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed; otherwise work binds one to this material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain unattached and free from bondage.” If we do not perform yajṣa and distribute prasāda to others, our lives are condemned. Only after performing yajṣa and distributing the prasāda to all dependents — children, brāhmaṇas and old men — should one eat. However, one who cooks only for himself or his family is condemned, along with everyone he feeds. After death he is put into the hell known as Kṛmibhojana.