"So Kṛṣṇa worship is so easy, universal. Other worshiping method you have to collect so many things, then you can worship. Or you must have temple, you must have church, you must have worshiping place. But Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. And you can collect this patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalam (leaf, flower, fruit) anywhere. You can worship Kṛṣṇa anywhere. But you have to learn how to worship. What is that learning? Bhaktyā. That is the method. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). This patraṁ puṣpam is not important thing. The important thing is bhakti, devotion. That is wanted. Without bhakti, if you offer Kṛṣṇa very big plate, Kṛṣṇa is not hungry to take your food. He'll not accept it. He'll not accept anything if you do not offer with your love, bhaktyā, love and serving spirit: 'My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are so opulent. I have nothing to offer You because You have got everything. But I have tried to collect these things to my best power, so I am offering You. Kindly take it.' This is mantra. This is mantra.
 
Don't require much mantra. That meekness, that humbleness: 'Kṛṣṇa, I am most insignificant. I have nothing to give You, neither You are very much hungry or You have to take... You have got many, many...' Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). Kṛṣṇa is served by the goddess of fortune—not one; many millions. Here we are praying to goddess of fortune, 'My dear goddess of fortune, kindly give me little fortune. I am very poor.' That is our position. We are praying. But Kṛṣṇa's position is that lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam. The goddess of fortune is praying Kṛṣṇa—just like the gopīs, they are all goddess of fortune—'Kṛṣṇa, kindly take little service from me.' This is the position.
 
So why Kṛṣṇa will come to you, take your foodstuff? Because Kṛṣṇa wants that you surrender. That is required. That is required. Therefore we should serve Kṛṣṇa, because without bhakti... Many times Kṛṣṇa has said, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55): simply through bhakti. You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by your so-called scholarship, scientific knowledge and speculation. These are all useless, nonsense things. You cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa clearly says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. Bhaktyā, 'Simply by devotional service one can understand Me.' Bhakti means serving, service. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). When you become in service attitude, just to serve Kṛṣṇa with humble attitude, with devotion, then Kṛṣṇa will reveal. Otherwise you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. It is not possible. If you think that 'I am very rich man. I can offer Kṛṣṇa so many things, nice dress, nice foodstuff. Kṛṣṇa now is within my grip,' no. Kṛṣṇa is not so cheap."
 
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Los Angeles, December 13, 1973)
Compiled by Padmapani das