SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 9 Text 26
patram puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah

patram--a leaf; puspam--a flower; phalam--a fruit; toyam--water; yah--whoever; me--unto Me; bhaktya--with devotion; prayacchati--offers; tat--that; aham--I; bhakti-upahrtam--offered in devotion; asnami--accept; prayata-atmanah--from one in pure consciousness.

TRANSLATION

If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.

JOURNAL:

This is a very important sloka from Bhagavad Gita. These are the most basic instructions for the worship of Krishna in His deity form. Here are some excerpts from Srila Prabhupada's purport:

It does not matter what one is or where one is situated. The process is so easy that even a leaf or a little water or fruit can be offered to the Supreme Lord in genuine love and the Lord will be pleased to accept it. No one, therefore, can be barred from Krsna consciousness, because it is so easy and universal.

Bhakti is mentioned twice in this verse in order to declare more emphatically that bhakti, or devotional service, is the only means to approach Krsna. Without the basic principle of bhakti, nothing can induce the Lord to agree to accept anything from anyone. Bhakti is never causal. The process is eternal. It is direct action in service to the absolute whole.

If one wishes to engage in devotional service to the Supreme in order to be purified and to reach the goal of life--the transcendental loving service of God--then one should find out what the Lord desires of him.

But preparing nice, simple vegetable dishes, offering them before the picture or Deity of Lord Krsna and bowing down and praying for Him to accept such a humble offering enables one to advance steadily in life, to purify the body, and to create fine brain tissues which will lead to clear thinking. Above all, the offering should be made with an attitude of love. Krsna has no need of food, since He already possesses everything that be, yet He will accept the offering of one who desires to please Him in that way. The important element, in preparation, in serving and in offering, is to act with love for Krsna.