Bhagavad Gita 9.26 · Patram Pushpam Phalam Toyamपत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति।तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः ॥
patraṁ puṣhpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā
prayachchhati tadahaṁ bhaktyupahṛitam aśhnāmi prayatātmanaḥ
Sanskrit recitation
Offer what you have · 9.26–9.34 · Teaching
Translation
Whoever offers Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or a little water, that, so offered devotedly by the pure-minded, I accept.
Hindi translation
जो भक्त पत्र, पुष्प, फल, जल आदि (यथासाध्य प्राप्त वस्तु) को भक्तिपूर्वक मेरे अर्पण करता है, उस मेरेमें तल्लीन हुए अन्तःकरणवाले भक्तके द्वारा भक्तिपूर्वक दिये हुए उपहार-(भेंट-) को मैं खा लेता हूँ।
Meaning
A gift, however small, is accepted by the Lord, when it is offered with profound faith. The Lord is ite satisfied even with a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, when it is offered with singleminded devotion and pure heart. Was He not satisfied with the little parched rice from the bundle of Sudama and the small berries offered by Sabari You need not build a golden temple for Him. Build a golden temple in your heart. Enthrone Him there. He wants only your devoted heart. But it is difficult to please Indra. You wll have to offer valuable (material) objects to him.A leaf, a flower of a fruit are merely symbols. The true means of attaining the Lord is pure unflinching devotion. All the objects of the state belong to the king. If the servants of the state offer with devotion some objects to the king he is highly satisfied. Even so all the objects of the whole world belong to Him. Yet, He is highly pleased if you offer even a little thing with devotion.Asnami, literally means eat. The indicative meaning or Lakshana Vritti is accept.
After Swami Sivananda
Offer what you have· 9.26–9.34→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
9.26Whoever offers Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or a little water, that, so…
- 9.27Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give,…
- 9.28Thus, you shall be freed from the bonds of actions yielding good and evil fruits; with the…
- 9.29I am the same to all beings; there is none hateful or dear to Me; but those who worship Me…
- 9.30Even if the most sinful worships Me, with devotion to no one else, he should indeed be…
- 9.31Soon he becomes righteous and attains eternal peace; O Arjuna, proclaim thou for certain…
- 9.32For, taking refuge in Me, they who, O Arjuna, may be of a sinful birth—women, Vaisyas, and…
- 9.33How much more easily, then, do Brahmins and devoted royal saints attain the goal? Having…
- 9.34Fix your mind on Me; be devoted to Me; sacrifice to Me; bow down to Me; having thus united…
Word-by-word→
- me
- to me
- tat
- that
- aham
- I
- toyam
- water
- yaḥ
- who
- patram
- a leaf
- phalam
- a fruit
- bhaktyā
- with devotion
- aśhnāmi
- partake
- puṣhpam
- a flower
- prayachchhati
- offers
- bhakti-upahṛitam
- offered with devotion
- prayata-ātmanaḥ
- one in pure consciousness
Related verses
- 2.49Far lower than the Yoga of wisdom is action, O Arjuna. Seek thou refuge in wisdom;…
- 18.13Learn from Me, O mighty-armed Arjuna, these five causes, as declared in the Sankhya…
- 7.1The Blessed Lord said, "O Arjuna, hear how you shall, without doubt, know Me fully, with…
- 4.39The one who is full of faith, devoted to it, and has subdued their senses obtains this…