SRILA PRABHUPADA
KRSNA COMES IN MANY FORMS, BY HIS ENERGY THIS DESIGN SPINS FOREVER *
excert from 'Prabhupada's Lectures'
apr. 17 '74
In the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, there is a story... Not story. Fact. It is described there that one brahmana -- he was a great devotee -- he wanted to offer very brilliant service, arcana, in the temple worship. But he had no money. But some day he was sitting in a Bhagavata class and he heard that Krsna can be worshipped even within the mind. So he took this opportunity because he was thinking since a long time how to worship Krsna very gorgeously, but he had no money.
So he, when he got this point, that one can worship Krsna within the mind, so after taking bath in the Godavari River, he was sitting underneath a tree and within his mind he was constructing very gorgeous simhasana, throne, bedecked with jewels and keeping the Deity on the throne, he was bathing the Deity with water of Ganges, Yamuna, Godavari, Narmada, Kaveri. Then he was dressing the Deity very nicely, then offering worship with flower, garland.
Then he was cooking very nicely, and he was cooking paramanna, sweet rice. So he wanted to taste it, whether it was very hot. Because paramanna is taken cold. Paramanna is no taken very hot. So he put his finger on the paramanna and his finger burned down. Then his meditation broken, because there was nothing. Simply within his mind he was doing everything. So... But he saw that his finger was burned. So he was astonished.
In this way, Narayana from Vaikuntha, He was smiling. Laksmiji asked, "Why you are smiling?" "One of My devotee is worshipping like this. So send My men to bring him immediately to Vaikuntha."
So the bhakti-yoga is so nice that even if you have no means to offer the Deity gorgeous worship, you can do it within the mind. That is also possible. Therefore it is said that ahaituky apratihata. In any position of life you can engage yourself in bhakti-yoga system. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam [SB 7.5.23]. But the prime or the topmost perfection of bhakti-yoga is sravanam kirtanam, sravanam kirtanam, fully absorbed in the thought of Krsna.
That is recommended in the Bhagavad-gita also. Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana [Bg. 6.47]. This is the simplest process. You have to practice always thinking of Krsna. That is also, Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Mad-yaji. Now, suppose if you have nothing to offer. Still, you can, man-manah, by thinking of Krsna, by thinking of all materials for worshiping, testing them, sitting in one place, you can go on. That is called man-manah, thinking, thinking of. You can offer Krsna, as I described, so many things.
But Krsna wants to see how much you are devoted to Him. Dravya-yajna. Krsna is not hungry that you have to offer something, very nice foodstuff. That, you must do that. But if you have no such thing in possession, you can do it within the mind. But not that you have got everything to offer... You can offer Krsna very nice foodstuff. In that case if you think that "I can do it in mind," that is cheating. That will not be done. But in case you have nothing to offer materially, but still, you can offer in the mind. That is called vitta-sartha.[?]
Actually we have seen in many places, a rich man has got Deity. The other day we went to a place. The Deity is there, but Deity is not worshipped. Deity is not offered anything. That is not good. That man is very rich man. According to his position, one must offer prepared foodstuff, distribute prasadam, not that... Generally, the impersonalists, they do so. There are many big, big temples, big, big Deities, but the Deity is offered a little elaichianna.[?] That is not good. 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 apratihata, it cannot be checked, apratihata. Because bhakti can be executed practically also within the mind. It cannot be checked. But if you have got something to offer to Krsna, don't think that "I shall offer in my mind. "That is... Krsna is also very intelligent, that "He is cheating Me." Krsna wants how much you are sacrificing in devotion, bhaktya.
Krsna is not after your goods. That is explained in the Bhagavad, tad aham bhakty-upahrtam asnami. Patram puspam phalam toyam. Krsna is prepared to accept from you even a little leaf, patram, even a little flower, patram puspam phalam, a little fruit. Anyone can secure these. Even if you cannot secure, if you are so poor or unable, you can offer Krsna everything within the mind.
But if you are in possession, then that will not be successful. Then it be cheating. That is called mithya-sartha.[?]
KRSNA DEVOTEES in procession *
