न ब्राह्मणैस्तुलये भूतमन्यत् पश्यामि विप्रा: किमत: परं तु । यस्मिन्नृभि: प्रहुतं श्रद्धयाह- मश्नामि कामं न तथाग्निहोत्रे ॥ २३ ॥
na brahmanais tulaye bhutam anyat pasyami viprah kim atah param tu yasmin nrbhih prahutam sraddhayaham asnami kamam na tathagni-hotre
- na
- not
- brahmanaih
- with the brahmanas
- tulaye
- I count as equal
- bhutam
- entity
- anyat
- other
- pasyami
- I can see
- viprah
- O assembled brahmanas
- kim
- anything
- atah
- to the brahmanas
- param
- superior
- tu
- certainly
- yasmin
- through whom
- nrbhih
- by people
- prahutam
- food offered after ritualistic ceremonies are properly performed
- sraddhaya
- with faith and love
- aham
- I
- asnami
- eat
- kamam
- with full satisfaction
- na
- not
- tatha
- in that way
- agni-hotre
- in the fire sacrifice
O respectful brahmanas, as far as I am concerned, no one is equal or superior to the brahmanas in this world. I do not find anyone comparable to them. When people know My motive after performing rituals according to the Vedic principles, they offer food to Me with faith and love through the mouth of a brahmana. When food is thus offered unto Me, I eat it with full satisfaction. Indeed, I derive more pleasure from food offered in that way than from the food offered in the sacrificial fire.