God needs nothing from us. What does the Lord of the universe lack? What use does the sun have of candlelight? Living in accordance with true principles is the real offering to God. Eating only what we need; sleeping only for as long as is necessary; speaking only when necessary; speaking in such a way that does not hurt others; not wasting time unnecessarily; caring for the elderly; speaking kind and loving words to them; helping children study; learning a small craft and using the money earned to serve the poor and needy—these are all prayers to God.
By bringing right awareness into our thoughts, words and deeds, our life verily becomes a puja (worship). That is what an offering really is. But because we have not studied the scriptures in the right way, we are unable to see the issues in the proper light. Today, there are not enough opportunities for people to learn about Sanatana Dhanna (Hinduism). Of course, there are many temples, and many people are employed there. But, there should also be sufficient opportunities for people to acquire samskara (values/principles). If so, people would benefit even more.
It’s good to cry out to God and pray, no matter what we are praying for. This will guide us along the right path. Whether the child calls the father ‘Iccha’ or ‘Accha’, the father will answer. He knows that the child’s mistake is due to ignorance. Similarly, no matter how we pray, God will hear our prayers. God cannot turn away from a heart-filled prayer.
When we hear the word ‘offering’, what usually comes to mind is the payasam (sweet pudding) or other delicacy we offer at temples. Some may ask, “When there are people starving, why give God milk payasam?” We have never seen any god taking payasam; it is we who eat it. The food that is consecrated and offered as prasad in temples is shared by devotees—the poor, the children and others get an opportunity to eat the payasam then. It is their happiness that we experience as God’s real prasad, that is grace. Even if payasam is what we cherish most, if we share it with others instead of eating it alone, our hearts become more expansive. It is from expansiveness of the heart that we attain true happiness. This is the blessing we get from God as a result of making an offering.
We are able to act only because of God’s grace. Therefore, we should dedicate every action to God at the outset. The farmer prays before sowing the seed. Only then does he/she plant it. For human effort is always limited. To complete an action and enjoy the fruits thereof, we need God’s blessings. The seed that is sown sprouts and ripens. But if there is a flood at the time of harvest, the whole produce will be destroyed. What brings any act to fruition is grace. That is why we should have the attitude of offering everything to God before accepting it. This is what our ancestors taught us. Even when we eat, we should offer the first handful to God. Through this action, we are expressing the awareness that life doesn’t revolve around us alone but involves sharing with others. It is also an act of surrendering what our mind is attached to.
Look at what our minds are attached to: in 90 percent of the cases we will see that the attachment is to money. At the time of dividing the family property, if we get 10 coconut trees less than what our share entitles us to, we will not hesitate to drag even our own mother to court. A prospective groom does not just consider the bride’s family background; he also inquires into how much wealth the family has. Exceptions to this are rare. So, the mind is attached to wealth. Freeing the mind from this attachment is no simple matter. An easier way is to offer our mind to God. When we offer our mind to God, it gets purified.
Some say how much Lord Krishna loved milk payasam. Actually, Krishna was sweetness itself, the sweetness of Love. But what we like most is payasam. Because we offer it always to Him, we imagine that He is someone who loves milk payasam. Offering payasam to God is actually an act of offering what we love to God. The inner significance is that God is love. God is one who delights in the payasam of our hearts, love.
The writer is a world-renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian