Devotional service to Shri Krishna is performed by following the nine methods as follows:
- Hearing
- Chanting
- Remembering
- Serving the lotus feet
- Worshipping
- Praying
- Executing the orders
- Fraternizing
- Fully surrendering
In this series, this week we will discuss the fourth one – serving the lotus feet.
After we continuously practice the concept of Trida-Bhakti as explained in the previous article, there comes a call for action. Listening, chanting, remembering will only get us so far. They help us grow our love for Radha Krishna. But how do we express that love?
According to the principles of Bhakti, service or seva is the true expression of pure love. Let’s stop to think about it for we do this in our daily life more than we realize. Most of us love our children and parents. Think of the things we do for those we love. We do things we don’t want or like to do just to keep them happy. For instance, when the child is hungry or desires a specific dish, the mother is only too happy to step into the kitchen, yet again, to prepare the delicious dishes for her child. She does this despite the fact that she might be sick. Or consider how hot it gets during the summer months in India (north of 100o F) where most kitchens lack a fan or central air-conditioning. In such hot, sweaty conditions, the mother will not think twice about preparing the delicacies enjoyed by her child.
If we are willing to tolerate such extremes of heat/cold to serve the ones we love, what/how much are we willing to tolerate in order to serve the Supreme Soul? How far are willing to go to serve the Supreme Lord?
The Supreme Lord is so easy to serve and please. According to him, we are free to serve him however we think best. All he cares about is the thought, the sentiment, with which we serve him. He is not picky about what or how we serve him or the time of day we serve him; all he is looking at, paying attention to, and evaluating is the sentiment with which we serve him.
In the Bhagavad Gita, in verse 9.26, Shree Krishna explains to Arjuna,
पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति
तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मन:
patraṁ puṣhpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayachchhati
tadahaṁ bhaktyupahṛitam aśhnāmi prayatātmanaḥ
“If one offers to me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or even water, I delightfully partake of that article offered with love by my devotee in pure consciousness.”
So let’s focus our actions on serving Shree Krishna. For the next 30 days, let’s decide upon that one act which will be our expression of love toward him. Be disciplined about it and keep at it for a continuous 30 days. Then come back and share the experience.
