View source for The real purpose of offering items is to exhibit one's loving devotion to the Lord; the offerings themselves are secondary

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{{terms|"exhibit one's loving devotion to the Lord"|"offered with great loving devotion"}}
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{{compiler|Labangalatika}}
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[[Category:Real Purpose]]
[[Category:Offering]]
[[Category:Item]]
[[Category:Exhibit]]
[[Category:One (as in someone)]]
[[Category:Loving]]
[[Category:Devotion]]
[[Category:To The Lord]]
[[Category:Themselves]]
[[Category:Secondary]]
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<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam" class="section" sec_index="1" parent="compilation" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam"><h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2>
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<div id="SB_Canto_3" class="sub_section" sec_index="3" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 3"><h3>SB Canto 3</h3>
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<div id="SB32924_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_3" book="SB" index="1212" link="SB 3.29.24" link_text="SB 3.29.24">
<div class="heading">It is prescribed in Bhagavad-gītā: "If a devotee offers Me a small flower, a leaf, some water or a little fruit, I will accept it." The real purpose is to exhibit one's loving devotion to the Lord; the offerings themselves are secondary.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 3.29.24|SB 3.29.24, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">My dear Mother, even if he worships with proper rituals and paraphernalia, a person who is ignorant of My presence in all living entities never pleases Me by the worship of My Deities in the temple.</p>
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<div class="purport text"><p>There are sixty-four different prescriptions for worship of the Deity in the temple. There are many items offered to the Deity, some valuable and some less valuable. It is prescribed in Bhagavad-gītā: "If a devotee offers Me a small flower, a leaf, some water or a little fruit, I will accept it." The real purpose is to exhibit one's loving devotion to the Lord; the offerings themselves are secondary. If one has not developed loving devotion to the Lord and simply offers many kinds of foodstuffs, fruits and flowers without real devotion, the offering will not be accepted by the Lord. We cannot bribe the Personality of Godhead. He is so great that our bribery has no value. Nor has He any scarcity; since He is full in Himself, what can we offer Him? Everything is produced by Him. We simply offer to show our love and gratitude to the Lord.</p>
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<div id="Correspondence" class="section" sec_index="6" parent="compilation" text="Correspondence"><h2>Correspondence</h2>
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<div id="1972_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="7" parent="Correspondence" text="1972 Correspondence"><h3>1972 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoUpendraCalcutta19February1972_0" class="quote" parent="1972_Correspondence" book="Let" index="102" link="Letter to Upendra -- Calcutta 19 February, 1972" link_text="Letter to Upendra -- Calcutta 19 February, 1972">
<div class="heading">What matters is that everything is very nicely prepared and offered with great loving devotion; that is wanted.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Upendra -- Calcutta 19 February, 1972|Letter to Upendra -- Calcutta 19 February, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So far foodstuffs offered do the needful. Whatever is available and also very nice, that is offerable, as long as no meat, fish, eggs, garlic, onions, or other very objectionable foodstuffs are there. Salads are all right, and there is no condition on which type of rice, the best available under the circumstances, that's all. What matters is that everything is very nicely prepared and offered with great loving devotion, that is wanted.</p>
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