In addition to these, there are thirty-five items of devotional service, and they can be analyzed as follows: (1) hearing, (2) chanting, (3) remembering, (4) worshiping, (5) praying, (6) serving, (7) engaging as a servitor, (8) being friendly, (9) offering everything, (10) dancing before the Deity, (11) singing, (12) informing, (13) offering obeisances, (14) standing up to show respect to the devotees, (15) following a devotee when he gets up to go to the door, (16) entering the temple of the Lord, (17) circumambulating the temple of the Lord, (18) reading prayers, (19) vibrating hymns, (20) performing saṅkīrtana, or congregational chanting, (21) smelling the incense and flowers offered to the Deity, (22) accepting prasāda (food offered to Kṛṣṇa), (23) attending the ārātrika ceremony, (24) seeing the Deity, (25) offering palatable foodstuffs to the Lord, (26) meditating, (27) offering water to the tulasī tree, (28) offering respect to the Vaiṣṇavas or advanced devotees, (29) living in Mathurā or Vṛndāvana, (30) understanding Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, (31) trying one's utmost to attain Kṛṣṇa, (32) expecting the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, (33) performing ceremonial functions with the devotees of Kṛṣṇa, (34) surrendering in all respects, (35) observing different ceremonial functions.
Offering everything
Expressions researched:
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Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 1 - 6
The conditioned souls within the clutches of the illusory energy are all anxious to attain peace in the material world. But they do not know the formula for peace, which is explained in this part of the Bhagavad-gītā. The greatest peace formula is simply this: Lord Kṛṣṇa is the beneficiary in all human activities. Men should offer everything to the transcendental service of the Lord because He is the proprietor of all planets and the demigods thereon. No one is greater than He. He is greater than the greatest of the demigods, Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā. In the Vedas (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.7) the Supreme Lord is described as tam īśvarāṇāṁ paramaṁ maheśvaraṁ. Under the spell of illusion, living entities are trying to be lords of all they survey, but actually they are dominated by the material energy of the Lord. The Lord is the master of material nature, and the conditioned souls are under the stringent rules of material nature. Unless one understands these bare facts, it is not possible to achieve peace in the world either individually or collectively.
BG Chapters 13 - 18
It is said in Bhagavad-gītā that one can never give up work at any time. Therefore he who works for Kṛṣṇa and does not enjoy the fruitive results, who offers everything to Kṛṣṇa, is actually a renouncer. There are many members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness who work very hard in their office or in the factory or some other place, and whatever they earn they give to the Society. Such highly elevated souls are actually sannyāsīs and are situated in the renounced order of life. It is clearly outlined here how to renounce the fruits of work and for what purpose fruits should be renounced.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 3
Here the words tīrthī-kṛtāśeṣa-kriyārthaḥ are significant. Tīrtha means a sanctified place where charity is given. People used to go to places of pilgrimage and give munificently in charity. This system is still current. Therefore the Lord said, "In order to sanctify your activities and the results of your actions, you will offer everything unto Me." This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā: "Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you sacrifice, the result should be given to Me only." In another place in Bhagavad-gītā the Lord said, "I am the enjoyer of all sacrifices, all penances and everything done for the welfare of mankind or society." All activities, therefore, whether for the welfare of family, society, country or humanity at large, must be performed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the instruction given by the Lord to Kardama Muni.
Arjuna was a warrior; he had no time to study Vedānta or other highly intellectual books. The damsels in Vrajadhāma were girls born of the vaiśya class, and they engaged in protecting cows and producing agriculture. Kṛṣṇa's foster father, Nanda Mahārāja, and his associates were all vaiśyas. They were not at all educated, but they could serve Kṛṣṇa by loving Him and by offering everything to Him. Similarly, there are many instances in which caṇḍālas, or those lower than śūdras, have served Kṛṣṇa. Also, the sage Vidura was considered a śūdra because his mother happened to be śūdra. There are no distinctions, for it is declared by the Lord in Bhagavad-gītā that anyone engaged specifically in devotional service is elevated to the transcendental position without a doubt. Everyone's prescribed duty is glorious if it is performed in devotional service of the Lord, without desire for profit. Such loving service must be performed without reason, without impediment, and spontaneously. Kṛṣṇa is lovable, and one has to serve Him in whatever capacity one can. That is pure devotional service.
The words dharmeṇobhaya-cihnena mean that the bhakti-yoga process contains two symptoms, namely attachment for the Supreme Lord and detachment from all material affinities. There are two symptoms of advancement in the process of devotional service, just as there are two processes taking place while eating. A hungry man feels strength and satisfaction from eating, and at the same time he gradually becomes detached from eating any more. Similarly, with the execution of devotional service, real knowledge develops, and one becomes detached from all material activities. In no other activity but devotional service is there such detachment from matter and attachment for the Supreme. There are nine different processes to increase this attachment to the Supreme Lord: hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, serving the Lord, making friendship, praying, offering everything and serving the lotus feet of the Lord. The processes for increasing detachment from material affinities are explained in verse 36.
SB Canto 4
Lord Viṣṇu should be offered everything, and His prasāda should be distributed to all the demigods. This practice is still followed in the temple of Jagannātha at Purī. There are many temples of demigods around the main temple of Jagannātha, and the prasāda which is offered first to Jagannātha is distributed to all the demigods. The deity of Bhagālin is worshiped with the prasāda of Viṣṇu, and also, in the famous Lord Śiva temple of Bhuvaneśvara, the prasāda of Lord Viṣṇu or Lord Jagannātha is offered to the deity of Lord Śiva. This is the Vaiṣṇava principle. The Vaiṣṇava does not deride even ordinary living entities, including the small ant; everyone is offered proper respect according to his position. The offering, however, is in relation to the center, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu. The devotee who is highly elevated sees the relationship to Kṛṣṇa in everything; he does not see anything as being independent of Kṛṣṇa. That is his vision of oneness.
Devotional service comprises nine prescribed practices—hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, serving, offering everything to the Deity, etc. Here Dhruva Mahārāja is advised not only to meditate on the form of the Lord, but to think of His transcendental pastimes in His different incarnations. Māyāvādī philosophers take the incarnation of the Lord to be in the same category as the ordinary living entity. This is a great mistake. The incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not forced to act by the material laws of nature. The word svecchā is used here to indicate that He appears out of His supreme will. The conditioned soul is forced to accept a particular type of body according to his karma given by the laws of material nature under the direction of the Supreme Lord. But when the Lord appears, He is not forced by the dictation of material nature; He appears as He likes by His own internal potency. That is the difference.
It is recommended here that even if one cannot arrange to worship the forms of the Lord with all recommended paraphernalia, one can simply think about the form of the Lord and mentally offer everything recommended in the śāstras, including flowers, candana pulp, conchshell, umbrella, fan and cāmara. One can meditate upon offering and chant the twelve-syllable mantra, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Since the mantra and the Supreme Personality of Godhead are nondifferent, one can worship the form of the Lord with the mantra in the absence of physical paraphernalia. The story of the brāhmaṇa who worshiped the Lord within his mind, as related in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, or The Nectar of Devotion, should be consulted in this connection. If paraphernalia is not present physically, one can think of the items and offer them to the Deity by chanting the mantra. Such are the liberal and potent facilities in the process of devotional service.
In this material world everyone is engaged in various professional and occupational duties, but the purpose of such activities should be to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Devotional service is very simple, and anyone can adopt it. Let one remain what he is; he need only install the Deity of the Supreme Lord in his house. The Deity may be Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa or Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa (there are many other forms of the Lord). In this way a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra can worship the Deity with the results of his honest labor. Regardless of one's occupational duty, one should adopt the devotional means of hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, offering everything to the Lord and engaging in His service. In this way one can very easily engage himself in the service of the Lord. When the Lord is pleased with one's service, one's mission in life is fulfilled.
Pṛthu Mahārāja got his kingdom from great saintly persons like Bhṛgu and others just as one gets remnants of food. After the death of King Vena, the whole world was bereft of a popular ruler. There were so many catastrophes occurring that the great saintly persons, headed by Bhṛgu, created the body of King Pṛthu out of the body of his dead father, King Vena. Since King Pṛthu was thus offered the kingdom by the virtue of the mercy of great saintly persons, he did not want to divide his kingdom among saints like the Kumāras. When a father is eating food, he may, out of compassion, offer the remnants of his food to his son. Although such food may be already chewed by the father, it cannot be offered to the father again. Pṛthu Mahārāja's position was something like this; whatever he possessed had already been chewed, and therefore he could not offer it to the Kumāras. Indirectly, however, he offered everything he possessed to the Kumāras, and consequently they utilized his possessions in whatever way they liked.
In some readings, the word dārāḥ is not used, but the word used then is rāyaḥ, which means "wealth." In India there are still wealthy persons who are recognized by the state as rāya. A great devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was called Rāmānanda Rāya because he was governor of Madras and very rich. There are still many holders of the title rāya-Rāya Bahadur, Rāya Chaudhuri and so on. The dārāḥ, or wife, is not permitted to be offered to the brāhmaṇas. Everything is offered to worthy persons who are able to accept charity, but nowhere is it found that one offers his wife; therefore in this case the reading rāyaḥ is more accurate than dārāḥ. Also, since Pṛthu Mahārāja offered everything to the Kumāras, the word kośaḥ ("treasury") need not be separately mentioned. Kings and emperors used to keep a private treasury which was known as ratna-bhāṇḍa. The ratna-bhāṇḍa was a special treasury room which contained special jewelries, such as bangles, necklaces and so on, which were presented to the king by the citizens. This jewelry was kept separate from the regular treasury house where all the collected revenues were kept. Thus Pṛthu Mahārāja offered his stock of private jewelry to the lotus feet of the Kumāras. It has already been admitted that all the King's property belonged to the brāhmaṇas and that Pṛthu Mahārāja was simply using it for the welfare of the state.
Since only a person who is completely educated according to the principles of Vedic knowledge deserves to be commander-in-chief, ruler of the state, the first to chastise and the proprietor of the whole planet, Pṛthu Mahārāja offered everything to the Kumāras.
SB Canto 5
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is described as Uttamaśloka, "He who is worshiped by the best of selected Sanskrit verses," and His devotees such as Bali Mahārāja are also worshiped by puṇya-śloka, verses that increase one's piety. Bali Mahārāja offered everything to the Lord—his wealth, his kingdom and even his own body (sarvātma-nivedane baliḥ). The Lord appeared before Bali Mahārāja as a brāhmaṇa beggar, and Bali Mahārāja gave Him everything he had. However, Bali Mahārāja did not become poor; by donating all his possessions to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he became a successful devotee and got everything back again with the blessings of the Lord. Similarly, those who give contributions to expand the activities of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and to accomplish its objectives will never be losers; they will get their wealth back with the blessings of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
My dear King, Bali Mahārāja donated all his possessions to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāmanadeva, but one should certainly not conclude that he achieved his great worldly opulence in bila-svarga as a result of his charitable disposition. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the source of life for all living entities, lives within everyone as the friendly Supersoul, and under His direction a living entity enjoys or suffers in the material world. Greatly appreciating the transcendental qualities of the Lord, Bali Mahārāja offered everything at His lotus feet. His purpose, however, was not to gain anything material, but to become a pure devotee. For a pure devotee, the door of liberation is automatically opened. One should not think that Bali Mahārāja was given so much material opulence merely because of his charity. When one becomes a pure devotee in love, he may also be blessed with a good material position by the will of the Supreme Lord. However, one should not mistakenly think that the material opulence of a devotee is the result of his devotional service. The real result of devotional service is the awakening of pure love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which continues under all circumstances.
SB Canto 7
After performing sacrifices, sometimes a person engaged in fruitive activity customarily offers the results to Viṣṇu. But here it is said, bhagavaty addhā: one must directly offer everything to Viṣṇu. This is called sannyāsa (not merely nyāsa). A tridaṇḍi-sannyāsī carries three daṇḍas, signifying kaya-mano-vākya-body, mind and words. All of these should be offered to Viṣṇu, and then one can begin devotional service. Fruitive workers first perform some pious activities and then formally or officially offer the results to Viṣṇu. The real devotee, however, first offers his surrender to Kṛṣṇa with his body, mind and words and then uses his body, mind and words for the service of Kṛṣṇa as Kṛṣṇa desires.
"Parīkṣit Mahārāja attained salvation simply by hearing, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī attained salvation simply by chanting. Prahlāda Mahārāja attained salvation by remembering the Lord. The goddess of fortune, Lakṣmīdevī, attained perfection by worshiping the Lord's lotus feet. Pṛthu Mahārāja attained salvation by worshiping the Deity of the Lord. Akrūra attained salvation by offering prayers, Hanumān by rendering service, Arjuna by establishing friendship with the Lord, and Bali Mahārāja by offering everything to the service of the Lord." All these great devotees served the Lord according to a particular process, but every one of them attained salvation and became eligible to return home, back to Godhead. This is explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
By worshiping or satisfying Acyuta, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, one can satisfy everyone, just as one can water the branches, leaves and flowers of a tree simply by watering its root or as one satisfies all the senses of the body by giving food to the stomach. Therefore, a devotee simply offers everything to the Supreme Personality of Godhead to receive the best results of charity, religious performances, sense gratification and even liberation (dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90)).
SB Canto 8
This peace formula for the world is given in Bhagavad-gītā (5.29). When people know that the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, is the supreme enjoyer, the supreme proprietor and the most intimate well-wishing friend of all living entities, peace and prosperity will ensue all over the world. Unfortunately, the conditioned souls, being placed into illusion by the external energy of the Lord, want to fight with one another, and therefore peace is disturbed. The first prerequisite for peace is that all the wealth presented by Śrī, the goddess of fortune, be offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everyone should give up his false proprietorship over worldly possessions and offer everything to Kṛṣṇa. This is the teaching of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, when Bali Mahārāja lost all his opulence and died in the fight, Śukrācārya, a descendant of Bhṛgu Muni, brought him back to life. Because of this, the great soul Bali Mahārāja became a disciple of Śukrācārya and began to serve him with great faith, offering everything he had.
Understanding Lord Viṣṇu's purpose, Śukrācārya, the best of the learned, immediately spoke as follows to his disciple, who was about to offer everything to Lord Vāmanadeva.
Bali Mahārāja had already offered everything to Your Lordship. Without hesitation, he has offered his land, the planets and whatever else he earned by his pious activities, including even his own body.
By offering even water, newly grown grass, or flower buds at Your lotus feet, those who maintain no mental duplicity can achieve the most exalted position within the spiritual world. This Bali Mahārāja, without duplicity, has now offered everything in the three worlds. How then can he deserve to suffer from arrest?
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
Pūtanā had no affection for Kṛṣṇa; rather, she was envious and wanted to kill Him. Nonetheless, because with or without knowledge she offered her breast, she attained the highest achievement in life. But the offerings of devotees attracted to Kṛṣṇa in parental love are always sincere. A mother likes to offer something to her child with affection and love; there is no question of envy. So here we can make a comparative study. If Pūtanā could attain such an exalted position in spiritual life by neglectfully, enviously making an offering to Kṛṣṇa, what is to be said of mother Yaśodā and the other gopīs, who served Kṛṣṇa with such great affection and love, offering everything for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction? The gopīs automatically achieved the highest perfection. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended the affection of the gopīs, either in maternal affection or in conjugal love, as the highest perfection in life (ramyā kācid upāsanā vrajavadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā).
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila
All the eatables were first cooked by the wife of Advaita Ācārya. Then Śrīla Advaita Ācārya personally offered everything to Lord Viṣṇu.
In this way the Annakūṭa ceremony was performed, and Mādhavendra Purī Gosvāmī personally offered everything to Gopāla.
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura states that the word karma-niṣṭha refers to one who aspires to enjoy the results of his good work and pious activity. Some followers of Vedic principles offer everything to the Absolute Truth and do not aspire to enjoy the results of their pious actions. These are also considered among the karma-niṣṭhas. Sometimes we see pious men earn money with great hardship and then spend the money for some pious cause by opening public charities, schools and hospitals. Whether one earns money for himself or for the public benefit, he is called a karma-niṣṭha. Out of millions of karma-niṣṭhas there may be one who is wise. Those who try to avoid fruitive activity and who become silent in order to merge into the spiritual existence of the Absolute Truth are generally known as jñānīs, wise men. They are not interested in fruitive activity but in merging into the Supreme.
One should immediately offer obeisances to the Lord, falling down like a stick. (4) There must be regular maṅgala-ārati in the temple during the early morning, an hour and a half before the sun rises. (5) There must be an āsana, a sitting place before the altar. This āsana is for the spiritual master. The disciple brings everything before the spiritual master, and the spiritual master offers everything to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
Lord Caitanya, however, also rejected this second statement, saying, "If you know of something higher, state it."
Offering everything to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as enjoined by Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, is better than impersonally making the Supreme Lord subject to our work, but it is still short of surrendering activities to the Supreme Lord. A worker's identification with material existence cannot be changed without proper guidance. Such fruitive activity will continue one's material existence. A worker is simply instructed here to offer the results of his work to the Supreme Lord, but there is no information given to enable one to get out of the material entanglement. Therefore Lord Caitanya rejected his proposal.
"What is the highest standard of education?" Lord Caitanya began His inquiry, and Rāmānanda Rāya immediately replied that the highest standard of education is knowledge of the science of Kṛṣṇa. The standard of material education is sense gratification, but the highest standard of spiritual education is knowledge of the science of Kṛṣṇa. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.29.50) it is stated that that work which pleases the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the highest work, and that science or knowledge which places one in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest knowledge. Similarly, Prahlāda Mahārāja, while instructing his childhood friends at school, also stated that hearing of the Lord, chanting, remembering, worshiping, praying, serving, making friends with Kṛṣṇa, and offering everything to Him constituted the highest spiritual knowledge.
Nectar of Devotion
The purport of this statement by Indra is that beginning from Brahmā down to the insignificant ant, no living entities are meant for enjoying the material opulences. They are simply meant for offering everything to the supreme proprietor, the Personality of Godhead. By doing so, they automatically enjoy the benefit. The example can be cited again of the different parts of the body collecting foodstuffs and cooking them so that ultimately a meal may be offered to the stomach. After it has gone to the stomach, all the parts of the body equally enjoy the benefit of the meal. So, similarly, everyone's duty is to satisfy the Supreme Lord, and then automatically everyone will become satisfied.
Some devotees go around more than three times—ten times, fifteen times—according to their vows. The Gosvāmīs used to circumambulate Govardhana Hill.) One should also circumambulate the whole Vṛndāvana area. (10) One must worship the Deity in the temple according to the regulative principles. (Offering ārati and prasāda, decorating the Deity, etc.—these things must be observed regularly.) (11) One must render personal service to the Deities. (12) One must sing. (13) One must perform saṅkīrtana. (14) One must chant. (15) One must offer prayers. (16) One must recite notable prayers. (17) One must taste mahā-prasāda (food from the very plate offered before the Deities). (18) One must drink caraṇāmṛta (water from the bathing of the Deities, which is offered to guests). (19) One must smell the incense and flowers offered to the Deity. (20) One must touch the lotus feet of the Deity. (21) One must see the Deity with great devotion. (22) One must offer ārati (ārātrika) at different times. (23) One must hear about the Lord and His pastimes from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā and similar books. (24) One must pray to the Deity for His mercy. (25) One should remember the Deity. (26) One should meditate upon the Deity. (27) One should render some voluntary service. (28) One should think of the Lord as one's friend. (29) One should offer everything to the Lord. (30) One should offer a favorite article (such as food or a garment).
Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī says that learned ācāryas recommend that we follow the regulative principles even after the development of spontaneous love for Kṛṣṇa. According to the regulative principles, there are nine departmental activities, as described above, and one should specifically engage himself in the type of devotional service for which he has a natural aptitude. For example, one person may have a particular interest in hearing, another may have a particular interest in chanting, and another may have a particular interest in serving in the temple. So these, or any of the other six different types of devotional service (remembering, serving, praying, engaging in some particular service, being in a friendly relationship or offering everything in one's possession), should be executed in full earnestness. In this way, everyone should act according to his particular taste.
Renunciation Through Wisdom
The demigods are empowered to accept only certain types of offerings, whereas Lord Kṛṣṇa can accept the karma-phala, or fruitive results, of everyone. The Supreme Lord alone is powerful enough to accept conflicting fruitive results and moods of worship. This indicates Kṛṣṇa's supreme lordship and absolute position. It is unlikely that all of humanity will be able to understand the science of pure devotional service, yet everyone always has the ability to attain the Lord's lotus feet, even in the face of striking odds. Therefore the best course is to offer everything to the Supreme Lord.
Sri Isopanisad
Vegetables also have life, and while it is nature's law that one living being is meant to feed on another, for human beings the point is to recognize the Supreme Lord. Thus one should not be proud of being a strict vegetarian. Animals do not have developed consciousness by which to recognize the Lord, but a human being is sufficiently intelligent to take lessons from the Vedic literature and thereby know how the laws of nature are working and derive profit out of such knowledge. If a man neglects the instructions of the Vedic literature, his life becomes very risky. A human being is therefore required to recognize the authority of the Supreme Lord and become His devotee. He must offer everything for the Lord's service and partake only of the remnants of food offered to the Lord. This will enable him to discharge his duty properly. In the Bhagavad-gītā (9.26) the Lord directly states that He accepts vegetarian food from the hands of a pure devotee. Therefore a human being should not only become a strict vegetarian but should also become a devotee of the Lord, offer the Lord all his food and then partake of such prasādam, or the mercy of God.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
If you establish Deity, you must worship to the best capacity of your possession. That is Deity worship. But if one hasn't got to offer anything, he can offer everything within the mind. This facility is there. Therefore it is apratihatā, it cannot be checked, apratihatā. Because bhakti can be executed practically also within the mind. It cannot be checked. But if you have got something to offer to Kṛṣṇa, don't think that "I shall offer in my mind. "That is... Kṛṣṇa is also very intelligent, that "He is cheating Me." Kṛṣṇa wants how much you are sacrificing in devotion, bhaktyā. Kṛṣṇa is not after your goods. That is explained in the Bhagavad, tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam aśnāmi. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam (BG 9.26). Kṛṣṇa is prepared to accept from you even a little leaf, patram, even a little flower, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalam, a little fruit. Anyone can secure these. Even if you cannot secure, if you are so poor or unable, you can offer Kṛṣṇa everything within the mind.
Indian man (7): Idea of avatāra? (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: We have already explained. The idol, it is not idol. It is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful. He can present Himself in a manner which you can see, because Kṛṣṇa is everything. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). He is everything. God is everything. So you cannot see at your present status the God. But you can see His form, and the business will be done. If you offer everything, Kṛṣṇa will eat. Business will go on. There is no difference. It is His mercy that He presents Himself in a form which we can see.
The Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not know the secret; they wants to become God, enjoy. Our philosophy is different. We do not wish to become enjoyer. We want to be enjoyed. That is our real position. We want to serve Kṛṣṇa. We want to offer everything to Kṛṣṇa. We do not want to enjoy anything ourself. That is Vaiṣṇavism. So here there are in the material world, there are so many universities and economic development plans, but all these rascals, they do not who will enjoy. Who is enjoyer, and who is enjoyed, they do not know. They think that: "We are enjoyer." Every nation, every community, every man is struggling: "I am enjoyer." This is called māyā.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
If you learn how to practice bhakti-yoga, and that is upon Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa... Vāsudeva... And bhakti-yoga therefore says, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Not śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam of the politician. That will not help you. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. If you hear about Kṛṣṇa, if you chant about Kṛṣṇa, if you think about Kṛṣṇa, if you offer worship to Kṛṣṇa, if you engage yourself with some service to Kṛṣṇa, if you offer everything for Kṛṣṇa, you'll see Kṛṣṇa always, twenty-four hours. This is the process. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). This is bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga means always be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). That is stated in the Bhagavad... Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām. These boys and girls who are in bhakti-yoga, they are satataṁ kīrtayanto kṛṣṇam. They are going... Sometimes we go to make membership with these books. So we have to speak about Kṛṣṇa.
So the Bali Mahārāja was cheated by... But he, being cheated, he became conqueror. So this Śukrācārya said to Bali Mahārāja, "Don't promise to this Vāmana anything. He is Lord Viṣṇu. He has come to cheat you." Bali Mahārāja became more enlightened. "Oh, He is Lord Viṣṇu? But you have taught me that everything should be given to Viṣṇu. So if Viṣṇu has come at my door, why you are asking not to make any promise?" So that means Śukrācārya were playing duplicity. He taught something, and now he's saying another thing. Therefore Bali Mahārāja said that "I cannot accept. I give up your company from this day, that you are checking me to offer everything to Viṣṇu. Oh, I do not want such spiritual master"
So by offering everything to Kṛṣṇa, nobody is loser. You must always remem... They are gainer, the best gainer. Because after all, everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Why should we foolishly say, "It is mine, it is mine?" Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Janasya moho 'yam. This is called illusion. Nothing belongs to me, but I think that "This is mine, this is mine, this is mine." The whole world is going on (like) that. Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). "We are Americans," "We are Indians," "This belongs to me," "That belongs to you." We make such, I mean to say, shareholder. But shareholder for other's property. Everything belongs to God. Not only this world—there are many millions and millions of planet. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram. Loka means planet. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-loka-maheśvaram. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka... (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor. But we are dividing: "This is American," "This is Indian." But how long you will remain American and Indian? Say, fifty years. Then if you are going to be a dog, then who is saving your country? This is going on. Nothing belongs to us, except everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, and we are all offspring of Kṛṣṇa.
This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching, that "From Kṛṣṇa's side, He may do whatever He likes"—that is full surrender—"still, He is my master. He's nobody else. He is still my worshipable master." Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung,
- mānasa deho geho jo kichu mor
- arpiluṅ tuwā pade nanda-kiśor
Nanda-kiśora is Kṛṣṇa. So this is full surrender. "My dear Nanda-kiśora, whatever I have got, now I am offering everything to You." What I have got? Mānasa deho geho: "I have got my body, I have got my mind, and a so-called home or a wife or a few children. What I have got? So everything is offered to You." Mānasa deho geho jo kichu mor. This is full surrender. Now he says, mārobi rākhobi jo icchā tohārā: "I am surrendering to You everything. Now if You like You can save me, or if You like You can kill me." This is full surrender.
So Parīkṣit Mahārāja simply listened, śravaṇam. He did not do other things. Still, he was liberated. And Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he simply chanted or described the glories of the Lord. He also became liberated. Śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe parīkṣid abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane. Similarly, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam. Pṛthu, Pṛthu Mahārāja, he was simply remembering. No, pṛthuḥ pūjane. And pāda-sevanam. Lakṣmī-devī, She simply gave massage to the Viṣṇu's lotus feet. And Arjuna, simply he made friendship. And Hanumānjī, he simply served the order of Lord Rāmacandra. Dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam. Ātma-nivedanam, offering everything. Bali Mahārāja, whatever he had, he gave to Vāmanadeva everything. Whatever he possessed, even his body, he gave to Vāmana. Sarvātma-snapane, abhavad bali... Bali Mahārāja. So there are different examples.
Hearing means somebody is speaking and others are hearing. There must be somebody chanting. Just like I am chanting, I am speaking—you are hearing. So śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. And as soon as we hear and chant, we remember also, smaraṇam. The vandanam, offering prayers. Everyone goes to the temple, to the church, offers prayer. That is also bhakti. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). Then arcanam. Just like these boys and girls are engaged in worshiping the Deity. That is called arcanam. Vandanaṁ dāsyam: to become servant of God, to cleanse the temple, to work for God, for Kṛṣṇa, dāsyaṁ. Sakhyam, to accept Kṛṣṇa as friend. Ātma-nivedanam, and offering everything to Kṛṣṇa. These are nine items. You can accept nine, eight, seven, as you like, as you can conveniently, either the whole nine items or one, two, three, four—any. Even if you accept one, your life will be perfect. If you simply take this śravaṇam, if you simply come to this temple and hear about Kṛṣṇa, your life will be successful. It is so nice.
We are discussing this verse, that "Somebody," kecit, "not all." Kecit, "Somebody, simply by acting devotional service, devotional service to Vāsudeva, he immediately finishes all reaction of sinful life." Simply by devotional service unto the Vāsudeva, one can become free from all sinful reaction of life. Bhaktyā means "by devotional service." So bhaktyā, there are nine different processes. (break) ...and the same, but according to our capacity they are divided into nine processes. So it begins with śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma... (SB 7.5.23). Beginning with śravaṇam, hearing. (break) ...nine processes are hearing, chanting, then worshiping, serving, offering everything. In this way there are nine different ways. The beginning is hearing. Hearing, just you all ladies, gentlemen, you have come here to hear. Then hearing, if your hearing is perfect, then kīrtanam, means describing or preaching.
From gentleman's point of view, from nonviolence point of view, Arjuna was very nice. He was not willing to fight. But Kṛṣṇa said, "You must fight," and therefore everything was engaged. That is everything: with permission of Kṛṣṇa. Not that you can manufacture anything, "Oh, it is for Kṛṣṇa's service." You can offer everything to Kṛṣṇa under His permission, or His representative's permission, not whimsically. Is that clear? Yes. Because you are Kṛṣṇa's servant, you have dedicated your life to serve Him, how you can offer anything which He does not like? Anything and everything does not mean beyond the jurisdiction of His permission. That you cannot do.
Anyone who is making progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should not be envious, "Oh, he is so great. He is so rich man. He has got so nice palace. He has got so nice wife. I haven't got anything." Don't be. Because it is completely different life. Don't be captivated by the material opulence, even you are put into great difficulties. Because you are not this material body. You are spirit soul. So your progress should be steady on the spiritual platform. So we shall discuss this point more. The time has passed. So Prahlāda Mahārāja will explain that why one should offer everything to Kṛṣṇa. That we shall discuss in the next meeting.
There is a story that some sannyāsī went to a householder, because a sannyāsī goes to householder for begging. They are begging also like that. They are not beggars, but they introduce as beggar so that the householder may receive and take some advantage of his knowledge. He is not beggar. So one beggar went to a householder, and the housewife said, "Oh, this beggar has come from door to door. Give him some ashes." So the sannyāsī replied, "All right. Give me some ashes. Just begin your charity." Just begin your charity. So similarly, Kṛṣṇa, when He wants, "Give Me a little flower, a little fruit, a little water," it does not mean that He is begging. He is just inducing me to the practice of offering everything which belongs to Kṛṣṇa.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Now you are able young boys, young girls. You are intelligent. You have got so many credits behind you for material civilization. Now you take it. Just convert it. Material civilization means to endeavor for one's personal benefit. Just the opposite. The same thing should be done, but for the benefit of Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa does not want any benefit from you. He is quite competent. He does not want. But if you do for Kṛṣṇa, then you are benefited. This is the secret. Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: (BG 9.26) "If you give Me little flower, little..." What Kṛṣṇa...? Kṛṣṇa is worshiped by... Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). What? What does He want from you? What He'll gain by your patraṁ puṣpam? But He wants from you something. That you have forgotten. This is rascaldom. We have forgotten to offer to Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means it is the beginning of offering everything to Kṛṣṇa. Then it is successful. Try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Friendship is not simply chatting. Friendship means thinking, "How my friend will be happy?" This is friendship. Then that friendship, when further developed, that is parenthood. Just like parents, they have no other consideration. They want to see, "How my child will be happy always?" And further development is conjugal love, just like man and woman, male and female, that love. That love includes everything—that appreciation of greatness, that servitude of service, the friendship, then maternal love, and further, offering everything for the lover. That is most perfectional stage of love. So in this way we have got five kinds of direct relationship, and there are seven kinds of indirect relationship. That is not on the platform of love. That is on the platform of enmity. Just like Kaṁsa. Kaṁsa was thinking of Kṛṣṇa as enemy, so he was also Kṛṣṇa conscious. He was thinking of how to kill Kṛṣṇa. So that is also Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but indirectly.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Rascal civilization, rascal government. And people are transferred into rascals. (Hindi) Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Without anna, how they can live? There is no arrangement for anna. They're simply passing resolution, legislative laws. And no anna. Just see what kind of wretched government it is. Everywhere. There is no anna. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni. The first duty of government is to see that everyone is happy, without any anxiety. These preliminary necessities of life, āhāra-nidra-bhaya-maithunam, there must be sufficient arrangement for these preliminary necessities of life. One must eat sumptuously. Not over-eating, indulgence. No. But he must have sufficient food to keep up the health. Similarly, he must have place to sleep. We, we are prepared to offer everything. And be Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is our mission. Not by eating and sleeping, become rogues and thieves and rascals. That we will not allow. That is varṇāśrama-dharma. (Hindi conversation for a few sentences) Why unemployment? There is no scarcity (of) water. Just have a big well. Electricity pump water. Oh, immediately, it will be all green.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Jesuit: That's right. As John says, "God is love."
Prabhupāda: Yes. So, dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam, to offer everything to God—whatever I have got, my body, my money, my... everything. These are nine processes:
- śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
- smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
- arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
- sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
- (SB 7.5.23)
Nine processes. So these nine processes you take. Or you take eight or you take seven or you take six or you take five, you take four, you take three, you take two—at least one.
Correspondence
1968 Correspondence
Basically we have not got hatred for anyone, but when one is demoniac or atheistic, we should try to avoid their company. A preacher's business is to love God, to make friendship with devotees, to enlighten the innocent, and to avoid the demons. This principle we shall follow. But in higher devotional life, there is no such distinction. The topmost devotee sees everything in Krishna, and Krishna in everything. Generally, as preachers, we are middle class devotees. So we should not remain as neophyte devotee. Neophyte devotee does not know how to preach. He simply goes to the temple, and offers everything with devotion to the Deity, and he doesn't know anything else. So our devotees of the society should not remain in the neophyte position; neither should they try to imitate the topmost devotee. Best thing is to remain in the via media of middle class position, namely to love God, to make friendship with devotees, and to enlighten the innocent, and to avoid the demons.
If Jadurani wants to paint the picture of Bali Maharaja, it should be like this: 1) The hall must be very nicely decorated, & princely hall, 2) in one side of the hall, the royal throne should be presented as vacant, and 3) Bali Maharaja should pose himself bowing down before Lord Vamanadeva, and Vamanadeva should be painted with one leg on the earth; and one leg high in the sky; and one leg coming out of his navel, and put on the head of Bali Maharaja. This means the charity of one's possessions is not full for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but when one's personal body and head is given to the service of the Lord, then one becomes perfect in offering everything to the Lord. This is called complete surrender of everything that a devotee may possess. Bali Maharaja may be shown as not more than 40 years old, very nice looking king, well dressed like the royal order, and with mustache and no beard. Sukaracharya should be wearing a Saivite tilaka, and also Maharaja Bali can have a Saivite tilaka, until after he meets with Vamanadeva, and then you can change Bali Maharaja's tilaka into a Vaisnava one.
1976 Correspondence
This process of offering whatever one has in one's possession for the pleasure of the spiritual master or Krsna is recommended in the Bhagavad gita by the Lord Himself when he says, "yat karosi yad asnasi yat karosi dadasi yat... (BG 9.27)." and "tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya. . . (BG 4.34)". This process of offering everything in one's possession or ability is the recommended means for losing all attachment to material things and all attachment to material sense gratification. When one has become purified by this process of offering everything back to the Supreme he becomes simply attached to pleasing the Supreme Lord. This is the perfection of life. It is attained simply by following the four regulative principles, chanting sixteen rounds daily, and regularly offering one's time and effort in the propagation of this Krsna Consciousness Movement.
I thank you very much for your many gifts to me and your concern for my well being. This is the correct attitude for a disciple. The disciple should be prepared to offer everything he has including his body, mind, and words, in the service of the guru. Anyone who is sincerely serving to his greatest capacity becomes dear in the eyes of the Lord. So continue in your efforts to spread Krsna consciousness and to help Jayatirtha prabhu win this case, and always follow the regulative principles of devotional service without fail.
| Page Title: | Offering everything |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Serene |
| Created: | 27 of May, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=2, SB=21, CC=4, OB=8, Lec=14, Con=3, Let=4 |
| No. of Quotes: | 56 |