“O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.27)

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यत् करोषि यद् अश्नासि
यज् जुहोषि ददासि यत्
यत् तपस्यसि कौन्तेय
तत् कुरुष्व मद्-अर्पणम्

yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi
yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam

Shri Krishna gives the recommendation directly. He guides the disciple named Arjuna in a certain way. Follow this specific path. Everything else will be taken care of. You will no longer have doubts. There is no need to be concerned with outcomes, since the Supreme Personality of Godhead will handle everything.

The recommendation is to basically make every activity in daily life an offering to Krishna. All that we eat. All the charity we perform. All the dedicated actions that carry an intended result. Dedicate to God; keep Him as the top priority.

We highlight the overwhelming kindness to this recommendation by taking the same principle and applying it elsewhere. We take the hypothetical situation of someone trying to imitate the same, but offering everything to their significant other. In this close relationship, supposedly based on love, things don’t necessarily go according to plan; the results do not match the initial expectations.

1. Why are you bothering me?

“Don’t you have anything else to do? Flowers every single day. Love letters. Poems. Chocolates. Enough, already. I mean it.

“Are you trying to win a contest or something? You must have done something bad. You are behaving like someone who is guilty. Is there another person, on the side? Where do they live? I want to meet them.”

2. Why are you ignoring me?

“You are spending the whole day by yourself. You must really love to be alone. I am sitting here doing so much. I am working so hard. I don’t have the luxury to waste time like you do. Why are we together if you have no interest in me? If you can ignore me for so many days, then maybe I will find someone else to love me. Don’t use the excuse that you are working for my benefit. No one takes that much interest in their job.”

3. Why are you eating so little?

“Are you not a man? Do you not want strength? Who are you trying to impress with a slim physique? You have to eat. I made this food for you. If someone else made it, I am sure you would scarf it down. There must be something about me that you don’t like. I never thought I would end up with someone so picky in their eating habits.”

4. Why are you eating so much?

“Who eats that much in a single sitting? Are you not concerned about diabetes? You have to stop right now. Okay, I made food. You don’t have to celebrate like it is a holiday or something. Leave some for the rest of us. Next thing you know you will be lying down, flat on the bed. You won’t have energy to do anything else. You must be eating like this to use as an excuse to get out of spending quality time with me later on.”

5. Why are your offerings so pathetic?

“These flowers are the worst. This is the best you could find? Your car is a joke. It’s from a third-rate company. The inside is always dirty. You never do anything to make our life better. How am I supposed to take any pictures? Who will want to see the squalor that we live in? You say these affectionate words, but they are empty. They have no meaning, obviously.”

…

With Shri Krishna, a little fruit or water suffices. Quality is more important than quantity. As His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains, the level of the offering should correspond with the means.

If a person is poor, down on their luck, or otherwise preoccupied with trying to stay alive, just placing a flower on the space dedicated for worship goes a long way. It is appreciated so much on the other side. Rukmini Devi transformed the meager dwelling of Sudama Vipra into a palace all because the brahmana embarrassingly came to see Krishna with an offering of chipped rice.

On the other hand, if I am eating very well for myself, I should attempt the same in my offerings. If I know how to make elaborate preparations, there is nothing lost in giving to Krishna first. He will not steal. He will not take everything for Himself.

Rather, the offering is for self-purification, more than anything else. Since it is recommended directly by Krishna, there is no harm in overindulgence. The bliss in bhakti-yoga can expand infinitely. This explains how someone can spend decades in a specific routine, like chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

The beloved of Radha receives worship in countless homes across the universe. He is never overburdened. He is not annoyed at the constant attention. Just as in the rasa dance, He expands Himself to create a personal relationship with the worshiper, who is constitutionally linked to Him.

In Closing:

Never as overburdened think,
Since constitutionally a link.

Expanding specifically for me,
Pleased with offering to be.

Since with sincerity turned,
Accepted whether perfect or burned.

Following because love feeling,
Life’s mission this way sealing.

Categories: the five

Tags: bhakti, devotion, god, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry, religion, yoga