Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that, "I got this opportunity of human life, but instead of worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, I have worshiped so many things." Somebody is worshiping his body, somebody is worshiping his mind, somebody worshiping his country, somebody is worshiping his something else, something else, or somebody is worshiping some other demigods also. But that is not recommended in the śāstra, at least in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajanty anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). There are worshipers of other demigods, but they have been described in the Bhagavad-gītā as hṛta-jñānāḥ. Hṛta-jñānāḥ. Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura comments, naṣṭa buddhayaḥ, "one who has lost his intelligence." These are the verdict of the śāstra.
Therefore one who has taken only to Kṛṣṇa worship, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66), only Kṛṣṇa, he is intelligent. And one who is not intelligent, mūḍha, he does not take to Kṛṣṇa. This is straight meaning of Bhagavad-gītā. You can make your own meaning, but if you want to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, this is the meaning. You cannot accept the worship even of big, big demigods. What to speak of minor demigods, even big demigods just like Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva . . . you can worship. Vaiṣṇava is ready to give respect even to the ant. And why not Lord Śiva? And why not Lord Brahmā or any other demigods? They offer. But they offer in which way? As servant of Kṛṣṇa.
Just like in the Brahma-saṁhitā, there is: sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni vibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). This is worship of Durgā. A Vaiṣṇava, Brahmā, is offering respect to Mother Durgā. So similarly, a Vaiṣṇava never disrespects any demigod. Why demigods? They are so exalted. They do not disrespect even an ant. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā, amāninā mānadena (CC Ādi 17.31 / CC Antya 20.21, Śikṣāṣṭaka 3). A Vaiṣṇava should be ready to give respect to anyone, all living entities, because all living entities are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. They should offer respect to everyone. Just like this finger is my part and parcel of the body. If you respect my body and kill my . . . cut my finger, shall I be happy? No. Therefore Vaiṣṇava knows this, that "Even a small ant, he is the part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So if I kill this ant, Kṛṣṇa will be unhappy. Kṛṣṇa will be unhappy."
There was a vyādha. In the Padma Purāṇa this story is there. He was habituated to kill animals. Vyādha, you know, hunter. So he was killing so many animals half-dead. So Nārada Muni was passing through that forest, he was very much aggrieved, "Who is this rascal, killing these animals half, and they are flapping out of painful condition? Let me see this rascal." So he searched out this vyādha, hunter. The vyādha was very busy in his hunting. So he thought . . . because, after all, Nārada Muni is a Vaiṣṇava, after seeing him personally his heart was immediately little clarified. So he offered respect, "Sir, you have come here for some tiger skin or deerskin. I shall give you, but don't disturb in my business. Please let me do my business."
So Nārada Muni said: "All right, you do your business, but one thing I request—why you are not killing these animals all at a time? Why you are killing half? It is great sin." Then it stuck to his brain, "Sin? Oh. What is this sin?" Then he described the effects of sin. Then he said: "I have been taught by my father to do this business. So if I do not do this business, how shall I live?" So Nārada Muni said: "If I guarantee your living, would you give it up this business, this profession?" "Why not? If I get my living means, then I can give up." So it was agreed that he will give up his business of hunting. And Nārada Muni said that, "I will give you all necessities of your life. Come on."
So it is a long story. I am making shortcut. So Nārada Muni asked him that, "You sit down on this bank of Ganges, and here is the tulasī plant. You worship it, and I will send your food. Don't be worried." So next morning it was declared in the village, "That heinous hunter has become a Vaiṣṇava." So people, generally, they are inquisitive. They came to see. It is the custom when you go to see a saintly person, you take some fruits or flowers or some rice or some āṭā. So huge stack of rice and āṭā and fruits and flowers also. They were surprised, "Why Nārada Muni is sending so much? We are simply husband and wife." In this way they become Vaiṣṇava. And after some time Nārada Muni, with his friend Parvata Muni, he wanted to see his devotee.
So he asked Parvata Muni that, "My dear friend, will you come with me? I shall show my devotee who was formerly a hunter." So Parvata Muni knew that, "You can play wonderful. So let me see this devotee." So when Nārada Muni was coming, this devotee was going to receive the spiritual master. This is the custom, to receive the spiritual master from distant place with all honor by bowing down. But he was jumping. He was jumping. So when he came near, the Parvata Muni first of all asked him, "My dear son, you are great devotee, but while coming here why you are jumping?" He said that, "On the ground there are so many ants, sir. So I do not want to kill these ants."
This is the effect of devotional service. The same man who was taking pleasure by killing one animal half-dead, he is not prepared to kill even an ant. This is called bhakti.