Sharanagati

Pada-sevanam is service to the lotus feet. Do some practical service for your elevation! Whatever we are performing, we should offer it as a sacrifice to Krishna. You cannot offer second-hand stuff, only first class. First-class service should be offered to Krishna. You wouldn’t like to have second-class stuff. We should be very precise of that. And of course it doesn’t mean that we should buy the most expensive crazy stuff in shop; but your preaching, your mantra, your service should be first class.

To serve Krishna is very easy and very simple: “Offer Me some fruit, some flower, some leaf, some water.” But what is the element that makes the simple leaf first class – this is dedication. So ”If somebody offers to Me with love and affection then I will accept.” Krishna does not need your fruits or some very precious offerings, He is fully satisfied Himself. But we can offer our affection to Him. This is the first class element in our offering.

How to offer (archanam)? We have to offer by following the rituals. Krishna appears as archa vigraha, form. Through this form we can worship Him. He is so generous to give us guidance. Therefore we can say that the Deity, the Murti is just like spiritual guide. And this is very attractive! So archa, Deity worship is very beneficial for the devotee, it helps you to control yourself very much.

Vandanam means to sing, to chant our prayers. If you are down you know which way is up. To pray – these are some special moments. Of course there are two kinds of prayers: one is asking of something, the other is glorification. Which is better, what do you think? The glorification, because until we ask something, we are concerned with ourselves. But as soon as we understand that Krishna is great – and not only great but He is sweet – then we can only glorify Him.