SB 4.31.14
TEXT 14
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TEXT
यथा तरोर्मूलनिषेचनेन तृप्यन्ति तत्स्कन्धभुजोपशाखाः ।
प्राणोपहाराच्च यथेन्द्रियाणां तथैव सर्वार्हणमच्युतेज्या ॥ १४ ॥ yatha taror mula-nisecanena
trpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopasakhah
pranopaharac ca yathendriyanam
tathaiva sarvarhanam acyutejya
yatha-as; taroh-of a tree; mula-the root; nisecanena-by watering; trpyanti-are satisfied; tat-its; skandha-trunk; bhuja-branches; upasakhah-and twigs; prana-the life air; upaharat-by feeding; ca-and; yatha-as; indriyanam-of the senses; tatha eva-similarly; sarva-of all demigods; arhanam-worship; acyuta-of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ijya-worship.
TRANSLATION
As pouring water on the root of a tree energizes the trunk, branches, twigs and everything else, and as supplying food to the stomach enlivens the senses and limbs of the body, so simply worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service automatically satisfies the demigods, who are parts of that Supreme Personality.
Sometimes people ask why this Krsna consciousness movement simply advocates worship of Krsna to the exclusion of the demigods. The answer is given in this verse. The example of pouring water on the root of a tree is very appropriate. In Bhagavad-gita it is said:
sri-bhagavan uvaca
urdhva-mulam adhah-sakham asvattham prahur avyayam chandamsi yasya parnani yas tam veda sa veda-vit "The Blessed Lord said: There is a banyan tree that has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas." (Bg. 15.1)
This cosmic manifestation has expanded downward and the root is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As the Lord confirms in Bhagavad-gita:
aham sarvasya prabhavo
mattah sarvam pravartate iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava-samanvitah "I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts." (Bg. 10.8)
Krsna is the root of everything; therefore rendering service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna (krsna-seva), means automatically serving all the demigods. Sometimes it is argued that karma and jnana require a mixture of bhakti in order to be successfully executed, and sometimes it is argued that bhakti also requires karma and jnana for its successful termination. The fact is, however, that although karma and jnana cannot be successful without bhakti, bhakti does not require the help of karma and jnana. Actually, as described by Srila Rupa Gosvami, anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam: pure devotional service should not be contaminated by the touch of karma and jnana. Modern society is involved in various types of philanthropic works, humanitarian works, and so on, but people do not know that these activities will never be successful unless Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is brought into the center. One may ask what harm there is in worshiping Krsna and the different parts of His body, the demigods, and the answer is also given in this verse. The point is that by supplying food to the stomach, the indriyas, the senses, are automatically satisfied. If one tries to feed his eyes or ears independently, the result is only havoc. Simply by supplying food to the stomach, we satisfy all of the senses. It is neither necessary nor feasible to render separate service to the individual senses. The conclusion is that by serving Krsna (krsna-seva), everything is complete. As confirmed in Caitanya-caritamrta: krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya (Cc. Madhya 22.62). If one is engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, everything is automatically accomplished.
[Madhya 22.63]
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