Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.20.17
Āśraya· The supreme shelterThe Supreme Lord Is the Real Enjoyer
“[This is the mantra by which the inhabitants of Kuśadvīpa worship the fire-god.] O fire-god, you are a part of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, and you carry to Him all the offerings of sacrifices. Therefore we request you to offer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead the yajñic ingredients we are offering the demigods, for the Lord is the real enjoyer.”
What the purport teaches
- The fire-god is a part of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, and carries sacrificial offerings to Him. The Lord is the real enjoyer.
- The demigods are servants who carry offerings to the Supreme Lord, like tax collectors bringing revenue to the government’s treasury. Similarly, the guru, as the Lord’s representative, carries to Him whatever is offered.
- The purport finds no fault in demigod worship performed with this understanding. To regard the demigods as independent of the Supreme Lord, equal to Him or themselves the actual benefactors is mistaken.
Try this today
Before an act of worship today, pause and remember that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the real enjoyer.
Ask yourself
When you make an offering, whom do you understand to be its ultimate recipient?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.