Dayananda: "Specifically the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, is always full of satisfaction by Himself. Therefore, when something is offered to Him, it is for the benefit of the devotee. The Lord does not require any service from anyone. The example is given here that if the original face is decorated, then the reflection in the mirror is seen with face decorated."

Prabhupada: Naivatmanaḥ; prabhur ayaṁ nija-labha-purṇo [SB 7.9.11]. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasaḥ; sriyaḥ; (Viṣṇu Puraṇa 6.5.47). Everything is complete; therefore Krṣṇa is God. Everything, whatever we require... We require money, aisvarya. We require strength. We require influence. We require education. So many things we require. Ṣaḍ-aisvarya-purṇaḥ;. Nija-labha-purṇaḥ;. Another definition of Krṣṇa is He's full with six kinds of opulences. So He's sufficient to fulfill His desire. He doesn't require anyone's service. Just like we are in need of so many things; therefore we require others' help. But Krṣṇa does not require anyone's help. Then why He accepts worship? That is the... That is for the benefit of the devotee, not for His personal benefit. Just like Lord Ramacandra. He... His one wife Sitadeva was kidnapped by Ravaṇa. Of course, Ravaṇa cannot kidnap. It was externally, Maya Sita. Still, taking for exception Sita was kidnapped, so Lord Ramacandra could have possessed many millions of Sita by His will, but for one Sita He had to fight with Ravaṇa and finish the whole dynasty, because Ramacandra is the ideal king. It is the king's business to chastise such rogues and ruffians. That is king's business. That is for the benefit of Ravaṇa. Ravaṇa means the same Hiraṇyakasipu. Kumbhakarṇa-Ravaṇa. First they became Hiraṇyakṣa and Hiraṇyakasipu, the next, Kumbhakarṇa and Ravaṇa, and the next, they became Sisupala and Dantavakra. In this way, because Krṣṇa wanted to give them liberation again back to home, back to Godhead, so this killing of Ravaṇa, killing of Hiraṇyakasipu, killing of Sisupala, is for the benefit of the persons, not for Krṣṇa's benefit. He killed them for their benefit.

So whatever Krṣṇa does, that is for our benefit. Krṣṇa incarnates, comes here... Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, tadatmanaṁ srjamy aham [Bg. 4.7]. So He has no benefit by coming here, neither He has any loss. He's so complete that there is no loss, no benefit. But His mission is paritraṇaya sadhunaṁ vinasaya... [Bg. 4.8]. Just to keep balance of the demonic activities and to favor the devotees, both of them are benefited. Paritraṇaya sadhunam, those who are devotees, they are also benefited, and the demons who are killed by Krṣṇa, they are also benefited. That is Krṣṇa. That is all good. "God is good" means when He's favoring somebody and when He's killing somebody, both of them are benefited. Therefore God is always good, both ways. Nija-labha. He has no business to kill anybody as His enemy. Nobody can become His enemy. It is simply childish—just to knock one's head on the mountain to break the mountain. If one thinks that "I shall knock my head to the mountain, and the mountain will break," that is foolishness. Your head will be broken. That's all. Similarly, as friend, nobody can give any service to Krṣṇa, or as enemy, nobody can give any trouble to Krṣṇa. Nija-labha-purṇa. This is nija-labha-purṇa. He's always full with all satisfaction. So why Krṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktya prayacchati [Bg. 9.26]? So does it mean that Krṣṇa is so hungry that He has come to beg from us a little flower, little fruit? That some rascal taken this, that Krṣṇa comes as beggar, daridra. So when Krṣṇa comes as opulent Personality of Godhead they are not interested to serve Him, but when Krṣṇa comes as daridra, then they're interested.

So these are all foolishness. Krṣṇa is neither daridra, but karuṇam. Karuṇaṁ vrṇite. Just to show His causeless mercy upon us, He says that "Give me something. Even if you are very poor man, so give Me something, whatever you can secure very easily." Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ. Patraṁ you can get anywhere, without any price. Puṣpam also you can get anywhere, and toyam, that also get, you can get. So simply collect for Krṣṇa. That is Krṣṇa consciousness, that "I'll serve Krṣṇa with this endeavor. I'll collect something." What you'll collect? It is Krṣṇa's money. Everything belongs to Krṣṇa. Isavasyam idaṁ sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. So what you can collect? It is Krṣṇa's. Just like we are constructing this temple. We are feeling that "I am constructing. We are constructing," but actually it is Krṣṇa's. The bricks, the iron or the cement or anything that we are collecting, that is Krṣṇa's property. Isavasyam idaṁ sarvam. The brick is not your property. The earth is not your property. You are taking Krṣṇa's earth, and you are making it a brick. Still, it is Krṣṇa's property. But the endeavor, the energy which you are giving to Krṣṇa, that is taken into account: "Oh, he is working for Me. He wants to give Me something." That Krṣṇa consciousness is important. Otherwise Krṣṇa can... By His will He can construct sixteen thousands palaces for His queen. What this tiny temple will satisfy Him? But still, He's satisfied: "Oh, you have done so much? Very good." Recognized. Krṣṇa has created the whole universe. Yasyaika-nisvasita-kala. He doesn't require any endeavor. Simply by breathing, yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-aṇḍa-nathaḥ; [Bs. 5.48]. By His breathing, many millions of Brahmas are coming out, jagad-aṇḍa-nathaḥ;. And each jagad-aṇḍa-nathaḥ;, Brahma, is creating a universe. Yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya [Bs. 5.48]. So to create a temple, He doesn't require our help. He can create millions of temples by His will. There are already.

So we should always remember this, that Krṣṇa does not require our service, but if we give some service to Krṣṇa, that is our benefit. This is the formula. Don't think that Krṣṇa is very much obliged. But He feels obliged. Why? Aviduṣaḥ;. We are all fools and rascals. We are thinking that we are giving some service. No. We cannot give any. We are so insignificant that we cannot. He's unlimited, and we are very, very limited, tiny. But still, just the small child gives something to the father... It is father's property, but still, the father is very glad that "This child is giving me a lozenges." He thinks, "This is my big property." (laughs) So always we should remember this verse, that naivatmanaḥ; prabhur ayaṁ nija-labha-purṇaḥ;. He's always full with six opulences. There is no question of satisfying by giving something. This daridra-narayaṇa-seva has come under this misunderstanding that "We have to serve God, so when God comes as daridra, then we shall give. When God comes with Lakṣmi, with Sita, with Radharaṇi, no, no, that is not required. We don't want to serve that God. We want to serve when God comes as poor man, as invalid with a stick, and begs. Oh I am so great. I am giving God." This is nonsense. This is not... What God cares for you? But they have conceived that, that "God, although He is great, he becomes a small beggar and begs from me." This is material conception of understanding.

So here it is clear, nija-labha-purṇaḥ;. He's not... He's Lakṣmi-Narayaṇa. He's Narayaṇa, and why He should become poor? He... Lakṣmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanaṁ [Bs. 5.29]. Not only one Lakṣmi, not one Rukmiṇi, but many thousands' Lakṣmi, sahasra-sata, many lakhs. We are flattering Lakṣmiji, "Give me some favor," but Krṣṇa doesn't flatter anyone. Sometimes He does out of love to Radharaṇi. That Lakṣmi is Radharaṇi. Therefore She is the topmost of all Lakṣmis. So, why Krṣṇa will be beggar, daridra? No, there is no possibility. Here Krṣṇa is present in this temple. He has become very handy so that we can offer our dress, offer our foodstuff, whatever we can. He can become still smaller. Anor aniyaṁ mahato mahiyan. If you want to worship Him as the virata-puruṣa, then He can show you the viraṭa-puruṣa. The sky is the head and the Patala is the leg. He can become so big that you will be frightened, as Arjuna became frightened after seeing. He can become. That is called Brahman. Brhatvad brhaṇatvat. He can become the bigger than the biggest, and He can become smaller than the smallest. That is Krṣṇa.

So if we actually want to serve according to our means, Krṣṇa is ready to accept our service. But you cannot think that "Without my service, Krṣṇa is starving." No, that is not. Nija-labha-purṇaḥ;. He's always complete in Himself. He doesn't require our help. But if we serve Krṣṇa, then we become benefited. That is... Yad yaj jano bhagavate vidadhita manam. If you offer respect, Krṣṇa, and Krṣṇa's representative, then you'll be respectful. If you don't want to show respect to Krṣṇa and His representative, then you'll be derided. Therefore prati-mukhasya yatha mukha-sriḥ;. Prati-mukhasya, original face, original person, is Krṣṇa. If you decorate Krṣṇa very nicely, then you will be also seen very much decorated. If you... Practically we see. There is no fable. We are offering Krṣṇa nice foodstuff, so we are eating this nice prasadam which we never conceived or dreamed, dreamt in our life. Because we are offering to Krṣṇa, we become so fortunate to taste this nice prasadam. Krṣṇa, nija-labha-purṇaḥ;. It is not that if you give a nice plate of foodstuff, Krṣṇa eats everything, and you simply see the empty dish. No. Krṣṇa eats and again keeps it as it is for... That is Krṣṇa. Purṇasya purṇam adaya purṇam evavasiṣyate [Iso Invocation]. The atheist class of men, they think, "We offered so many things. Krṣṇa did not eat." No. He has eaten, but He is nija-labha-purṇaḥ;. He is not hungry, but whatever you have offered, He has eaten. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Everyone was offering so many things. It was stocked, and Govinda one day informed Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "Sir, people bring so many nice foodstuffs for You. It is stocked. Practically the whole room is filled up, and when they ask me that 'Whether Caitanya Mahaprabhu has eaten my offering?' I say 'Yes, yes, He has eaten.' So I have to tell so many lies, and the stock is there. You do not eat." So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "All right, bring them here." So one after one, the whole room was finished. Caitanya Mahaprabhu ate everything. Then He asked him, "Bring more." "No, Sir, only the empty pots are there." "All right, stop." So this is Krṣṇa. If you offer Him huge foodstuff, He can eat. And if you can offer Him little flower, fruit and water, that also, He is satisfied. So everyone should offer according to his means, and Krṣṇa is ready to accept, not that you have to become a very rich man and you have to offer Krṣṇa foodstuff fifty-six times as in Jagannatha Puri the foodstuffs are offered. Not that. He is pleased anyway. But become a devotee. Try to please Him to your best capacity.

You know the story of that brahmaṇa. He had no means to offer anything to Krṣṇa. He was so poor. But he wanted to offer something, but he thought that "I am so poor. I cannot offer anything." So one day he heard from the Bhagavata speech that one can offer Him within mind also. So he took it seriously, and from that day he was offering Krṣṇa so many nice foodstuffs, collecting water from different rivers and keeping the water in golden jugs, and bathing Krṣṇa and offering... This was... He was always thinking. And one day he prepared sweet rice and offered Krṣṇa, and he wanted to see whether rice is..., because sweet rice, very hot, is not good. Sweet rice, the more it is cooler, then it is tasteful. But milk, if you take cool, that is not tasteful. Milk you have to take hot, but not the sweet rice. So he wanted to test whether it is too hot. So his finger burned, and then his meditation broke. He saw there is no rice but finger is burned. In this way the brahmaṇa was immediately taken to Vaikuṇṭha.

So Krṣṇa can be offered in any circumstances. Krṣṇa can be pleased, provided you want to please Krṣṇa, provided you want to serve Krṣṇa. There is no question of... That is already explained, that dana jana, riches or learning or respectability, all these things cannot satisfy Krṣṇa. Krṣṇa wants only your heart—"Krṣṇa, You are my eternal master. I am Your eternal servant. Please engage me in Your service."

na danaṁ na janaṁ na sundariṁ
kavitaṁ va jagad-isa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
[Cc. Antya 20.29, Sikṣaṣṭaka 4]

This is the prayer. A devotee never asks Krṣṇa, "You give me money. You give me many followers. You give me nice wife." No. Na danaṁ na janaṁ na sundariṁ kavitaṁ va jagad-isa kamaye. "Then what you want?" "I want to be engaged in Your service." Not "I want." A devotee never says "I want." "Please, if You like, engage me." That is... This Hare Krṣṇa mantra means that. Hare... Hare is the addressing Radharaṇi, Hara; from Hara, Hare. And Krṣṇa... So "Radharaṇi and Krṣṇa," Hare Krṣṇa, "Please engage me in Your service." Hare Krṣṇa, Hare Krṣṇa, Krṣṇa Krṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama...

Devotees: ...Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Prabhupada: So we should simply pray, "Kindly engage me in Your service in whatever capacity You like." I have got my own desire, so Krṣṇa gives us freedom: "In whichever capacity you want to serve Me, I shall accept, either as servant, either as friend, either as father, mother, or either as conjugal lover." Any way, Krṣṇa is ready to accept our service. And He does not require any service, but if we render service, that is our benefit. That is required. And this Krṣṇa consciousness movement it teaching that "Try to serve Krṣṇa." That is the beginning of teaching of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Jivera svarupa haya nitya krṣṇa dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. They are trying to be master. That is maya. It is not possible to become maya, er, master. You cannot become master. If you think that you are going to be master, that is maya.

prakrteḥ; kriyamaṇani
guṇaiḥ; karmaṇi sarvasaḥ;
ahaṅkara-vimuḍhatma
kartaham iti manyate
[Bg. 3.27]

They think like that, but nobody can be master. But the fools, rascals, they want to become master, and when they fail, then they want to become one with the God, the supreme master. This is going on. They are all maya, illusion. The real life is to remain eternal servant of Krṣṇa and offer service to Him to the best capacity. That is perfection of life.

Thank you very much. (end)

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