Canto 8: Withdrawal of the Cosmic CreationsChapter 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

yathāas; hi — indeed; skandha — of the trunk; śākhānām — and of the branches; taroḥ — of a tree; mūla — the root; avasecanam — watering; evamin 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