“While Krishna was going to the fruit vendor very hastily, most of the grains He was holding fell. Nonetheless, the fruit vendor filled Krishna’s hands with fruits, and her fruit basket was immediately filled with jewels and gold.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.11.11)

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फलविक्रयिणी तस्य च्युतधान्यकरद्वयम्
फलैरपूरयद् रत्नै: फलभाण्डमपूरि च

phala-vikrayiṇī tasya
cyuta-dhānya-kara-dvayam
phalair apūrayad ratnaiḥ
phala-bhāṇḍam apūri ca

1. That new shirt

“Oh, thanks. Yes, I think it will actually fit me. No, no, I really am appreciative. The thing is, my closet is already stuffed. I could show you later on. The door barely opens. As soon as you peek in, things begin to fall out.

“I have many similar gifts, accumulated over the years. The shirt seems to be the one gift that everyone likes to give. I don’t even remember who gave me what. I don’t need to go shopping elsewhere. I can simply open the closet. It’s like a closet outlet. Get it?”

2. That new car

“Oh wow! You got this for us? Really? You didn’t want to check with us first? Yes, we were certainly in the market for a new one. That old vehicle finally travelled its last mile the other day. This definitely has enough space. It is rather large; the whole family can fit in here.

“Was silver the only color available? I am not complaining, but we were looking for something either blue or red. This is fine. No, don’t get me wrong. We truly appreciate this. I can’t believe you went out of your way for such a sacrifice. I’ll be sure to tell my friends what my wonderful children got me for a present.”

3. That new book

“Oh, this one. Yes, I knew it was out. No, no, I am appreciative. I definitely like it. The thing is, I already read it. Yeah, I jumped on the presale as soon as it was announced. Can you return it? I think that’s an option. So sorry to disappoint you, but otherwise the book will just sit on the shelf, unopened.”

4. That greeting card

“Oh, I like this one. The message is funny. No, I am certainly appreciative. The thing is, I have been on this kick lately where I’m trying to remove as many physical objects from my life as possible. I don’t like keeping loose papers around. I wouldn’t know where to store this card. Can I take a picture of it and then give it back to you? That way, the card will remain in the digital archive. Everybody wins!”

5. That money

“Oh, you really didn’t have to. I appreciate the gesture, but we are doing okay. I mean that. Even though things are tough around the country, with inflation and the general disaster that is the economic situation, for some reason we have been blessed. Our financial position has never been better, in fact.”

…

Imagine shopping for someone who has it all. Trying to find the perfect gift. This person is larger than the universe itself. He can fit the entire universe into a single image, if so asked. That image would be both three-dimensional and animated.

इहैकस्थं जगत्कृत्स्नं पश्याद्य सचराचरम्
मम देहे गुडाकेश यच्च‍ान्यद्‍द्रष्टुमिच्छसि

ihaika-sthaṁ jagat kṛtsnaṁ
paśyādya sa-carācaram
mama dehe guḍākeśa
yac cānyad draṣṭum icchasi

“Whatever you wish to see can be seen all at once in this body. This universal form can show you all that you now desire, as well as whatever you may desire in the future. Everything is here completely.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 11.7)

What exactly could we find for such a person? What clothes would properly fit? If the universe already includes everything, what else is there to offer? To where can we travel that will provide unique gift ideas? How can the person who has everything ever be satisfied with an offering?

It is within such a backdrop that we can appreciate the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains, Shri Krishna is so opulent that He is not even slightly benefitted by any presentation we can make. We can certainly try. We can hope to impress Him with our poetic expression, our culinary artistic output, and even our melodic compositions accompanied by instruments played beautifully in sync.

Krishna has everything already. He is not lacking anything. He is known as atmarama precisely because He can take pleasure in the self. He does not require companionship. He is not bored to the extent of requiring extensive travel or external stimulation.

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं
यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति
तद् अहं भक्त्य्-उपहृतम्
अश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.26)

Despite having everything, He still accepts meager offerings like fruit or water. If the mood of the offering is devotion, in trying to please the husband of the goddess of fortune, then there is joy in the acceptance. Though Krishna does not require our fruits, He will accept them. He once filled His lotus-like hands with fruit offered by a local vendor in Gokula-Vrindavana. He was sufficiently pleased that He transformed the remaining contents of the vendor’s basket into valuable jewels.

This is but a glimpse into the mercy of the one who wishes well to all living entities. In understanding this merciful nature, in seeing how Krishna makes space for the offerings of His devotees, without limit, what wise person wouldn’t be attracted to serving Him, in lifetime after lifetime?

In Closing:

For one with everything to live,
What appropriate can give?

If with quantity sufficient,
And in nothing deficient.

Then still impossible the task,
But in bhakti simple the ask.

With a little water or some fruit to go,
The longest way that devotion to show.

Categories: the five

Tags: dailyprompt, life, poem, poems, poetry