Canto 8: Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations | Chapter 5: The Demigods Appeal to the Lord for Protection |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 8.5.49
yathā hi skandha-śākhānāḿ
taror mūlāvasecanam
evam ārādhanaḿ viṣṇoḥ
sarveṣām ātmanaś ca hi
SYNONYMS
yathā — as; hi — indeed; skandha — of the trunk; śākhānām — and of the branches; taroḥ — of a tree; mūla — the root; avasecanam — watering; evam — in this way; ārādhanam — worship; viṣṇoḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; sarveṣām — of everyone; ātmanaḥ — of the Supersoul; ca — also; hi — indeed.
TRANSLATION
When one pours water on the root of a tree, the trunk and branches of the tree are automatically pleased. Similarly, when one becomes a devotee of Lord Viṣṇu, everyone is served, for the Lord is the Supersoul of everyone.
PURPORT
As stated in the Padma Purāṇa:
ārādhanānāḿ sarveṣāḿ
viṣṇor ārādhanaḿ param
tasmāt parataraḿ devi
tadīyānāḿ samarcanam
"Of all types of worship, worship of Lord Viṣṇu is best, and better than the worship of Lord Viṣṇu is the worship of His devotee, the Vaiṣṇava." There are many demigods worshiped by people who are attached to material desires (kāmais tais tair hṛta jñānāḥ prapadyante'nya-devatāḥ [Bg. 7.20]). Because people are embarrassed by so many material desires, they worship Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā, the goddess Kālī, Durgā, Gaṇeśa and Sūrya to achieve different results. However, one can achieve all these results simultaneously just by worshiping Lord Viṣṇu. As stated elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam (4.31.14):
yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena
tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ
prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇāḿ
tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā
"Just by pouring water on the root of a tree, one nourishes its trunk and all of its branches, fruits and flowers, and just by supplying food to the stomach, one satisfies all the limbs of the body. Similarly, by worshiping Lord Viṣṇu one can satisfy everyone." Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not a sectarian religious movement. Rather, it is meant for all-embracing welfare activities for the world. One can enter this movement without discrimination in terms of caste, creed, religion or nationality. If one is trained to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, who is the origin of viṣṇu-tattva, one can become fully satisfied and perfect in all respects.
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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness