karmaṇy asminn anāśvāse dhūma-dhūmrātmanāṁ bhavān āpāyayati govinda- pāda-padmāsavaṁ madhu
Synonyms
karmaṇi—performance of; asmin—in this; anāśvase—without any certainty; dhūma—smoke; dhūmra-ātmanām—tinged body and mind; bhavān—your goodself; āpāyayati—very much pleasing; govinda—the Personality of Godhead; pāda—feet; padma-āsavam—nectarine of lotus flower; madhu—honey.
Translation
The sages said, "we have just begun performance of this fruitive activity namely sacrificial fire without any certainty of its result on account of many frailties in the action. Our body has balckened by the smoke but we are factually pleased by the nectarine, of the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead Govind, administered by you."
Purport
The sacrificial fire kindled by the sages of Naimisaranya was certainly full of smoke and doubts on account of so many flaws in such activity. The first flaw is that there is acute scarcity of expert Brahmins able to carry out such performances successfully in this age of Kali. Any discrepancy in such sacrifices spoils the whole show and the result is uncertain like that in the matter of agricultural enterprises. Good result of tilling the paddy field depends on providential rain and therefore the result is uncertain. Similarly performances of any kind of sacrifice in this age of Kali is also uncertain. Unscrupulous greedy Brahmins of the age of Kali induce innocent public for such uncertain sacrificial show without disclosing the scriptural injunction that in the age of Kali there is no other fruitful sacrifial performance, except the sacrifice of congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord. Suta Goswami was narrating such transcendental name and glories of the Lord before the congregation of sages and they were factually perceiving result of hearing of the transcendental activities of the Lord. One can feel like that practically as much as one can feel the result of eating food stuff within oneself. spiritual realisation acts in that way.
The sages of Naimisaranya were practically sufferers from the smoke of a sacrificial fire and were doubtful about the result; but by hearing from a realised person like Suta Goswami they were fully satisfied. In the Brahmavaivarta Puranam it is said by Vishnu to Shiva that in the age of Kali men full with anxieties of various kinds, can vainly labour in the matter of fruitive activity and philosophical speculations but when they are engaged in the matter of devotional service, the result is sure and certain without any loss of energy. In other words anything performed either for spiritual realisaiion or for material benefit, can not be successful without being accompanied by devotional service of the Lord.