Bhagavad Gita · 9.26 · Yoga through the King of Sciences·26 of 34
पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति।तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः ॥
patraṁ puṣhpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā
prayachchhati tadahaṁ bhaktyupahṛitam aśhnāmi prayatātmanaḥ
Sanskrit recitation
Offer what you have · 9.26–9.34 · Teaching
Translation
Whoever offers Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or a little water, that, so offered devotedly by the pure-minded, I accept.
Meaning
A gift, however small, is accepted by the Lord, when it is offered with profound faith. The Lord is ite satisfied even with a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, when it is offered with singleminded devotion and pure heart. Was He not satisfied with the little parched rice from the bundle of Sudama and the small berries offered by Sabari You need not build a golden temple for Him. Build a golden temple in your heart. Enthrone Him there. He wants only your devoted heart. But it is difficult to please Indra. You wll have to offer valuable (material) objects to him.A leaf, a flower of a fruit are merely symbols. The true means of attaining the Lord is pure unflinching devotion. All the objects of the state belong to the king. If the servants of the state offer with devotion some objects to the king he is highly satisfied. Even so all the objects of the whole world belong to Him. Yet, He is highly pleased if you offer even a little thing with devotion.Asnami, literally means eat. The indicative meaning or Lakshana Vritti is accept.
After Swami Sivananda
Offer what you have· 9.26–9.34→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
9.26Whoever offers Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or a little water, that, so offered devotedly by the pure-minded, I accept.
- 9.27Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give, whatever austerity you practice, O Arjuna, do it as an offering to Me.
- 9.28Thus, you shall be freed from the bonds of actions yielding good and evil fruits; with the mind steadfast in the Yoga of renunciation, and liberated, you shall come to Me.
- 9.29I am the same to all beings; there is none hateful or dear to Me; but those who worship Me with devotion are in Me, and I am also in them.
- 9.30Even if the most sinful worships Me, with devotion to no one else, he should indeed be regarded as righteous, for he has rightly resolved.
- 9.31Soon he becomes righteous and attains eternal peace; O Arjuna, proclaim thou for certain that My devotee never perishes.
- 9.32For, taking refuge in Me, they who, O Arjuna, may be of a sinful birth—women, Vaisyas, and Sudras—attain the Supreme Goal.
- 9.33How much more easily, then, do Brahmins and devoted royal saints attain the goal? Having come to this impermanent and unhappy world, do thou worship Me.
- 9.34Fix your mind on Me; be devoted to Me; sacrifice to Me; bow down to Me; having thus united your whole self to Me, taking Me as the supreme goal, you will come to Me.
Word-by-word→
- me
- to me
- tat
- that
- aham
- I
- toyam
- water
- yaḥ
- who
- patram
- a leaf
- phalam
- a fruit
- bhaktyā
- with devotion
- aśhnāmi
- partake
- puṣhpam
- a flower
- prayachchhati
- offers
- bhakti-upahṛitam
- offered with devotion
- prayata-ātmanaḥ
- one in pure consciousness
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