Lord Krishna says that, “At all times, no matter where you are, even when you are fighting the battle, Arjun,” through Arjun he is teaching us, “always keep your mind fixed unto me with love and devotion. Love and devotion.”
… मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मा…
… mayy arpita-mano-buddhir …- Gita 8.7
“Offer me your mind and intellect. No offerings can win me. No offerings.”
People try to offer wealth to God. People try to offer food to God. People try to offer mala (garland) and things to God. People try to offer clothes to God. People try to offer all sorts of materialistic things to God. And I’m talking of those who devote themselves to God and practice all the religious practices.
But God says, “Whatever you offer to me, remember one thing, it is your mind. It is your intellect that I want.”
“My mind is taken by Radha,” Krishna says. “Offer your mind to me. I want your mind and intellect. And with this devotion, with this devotion, with this kind of surrender of your mind and intellect to me, with your mind fixed unto me with love and devotion, if you offer me anything, it’s all accepted by me.
But without offering your mind to me, keeping your mind fixed in me, remembering me with love and devotion, no matter what you offer, everything will be rejected by me. Though you’ll think everything’s accepted by me. Because what else can fools think? Deluded in maya (illusion).
What they do, they think it’s the best. But they don’t know. In reality, I don’t accept anything unless and until there is love and devotion and offering the mind with it.”
That is why the Lord very clearly says,
पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति । …
Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati …- Gita 9.26
People take out bhaktiya prayakshati (offered with devotion).
They delete that. And they say, “God says, offer me leaf, fruit, flower. So today I didn’t get any time. So I just bought these sweets and I’m offering it to you, my Lord.”
As if He’s sitting there for that sweets for you. He’s not waiting for that. He’s waiting for your love, nothing else.
“I have brought the water. I couldn’t get anything.”
And for yourself? Oh, for yourself, all the time is utilized in making good food.
People make malas and offer to the Lord with all the water dripping, with all the insects creeping. He’s not going to accept it.
You offer me one flower, but make sure it is absolutely free from all the creatures and insects and it is not full of water dripping. You wash it, you dry it, and make sure it is a sweet-scented flower.
Then even if it is one flower, that is good enough, offered with all love, all devotion, with the mind and intellect fixed unto me with love and devotion.
I want that.
