Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.27.18
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesLove and Reverence Please the Lord
“Even very opulent presentations do not satisfy Me if they are offered by nondevotees. But I am pleased by any insignificant offering made by My loving devotees, and I am certainly most pleased when nice presentations of fragrant oil, incense, flowers and palatable foods are offered with love.”
What the purport teaches
- Even opulent offerings from nondevotees do not satisfy the Lord. An insignificant offering from a loving devotee gives Him pleasure.
- The Lord is especially pleased when fragrant oil, incense, flowers and palatable foods are offered with love. Generous offerings and heartfelt devotion belong together.
- Rules for Deity worship help prevent disrespect and neglect toward the Personality of Godhead. Offenses arise from disregarding His position as master and disobeying His orders.
Try this today
Prepare one offering carefully today, giving attention to both its quality and your loving attitude.
Ask yourself
How can I bring both love and reverence into my offerings?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.