Shloka 4
Sudāmā Brāhmaṇa Receives Kṛṣṇa’s Mercy
The Gift of Flat Rice
पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति । तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मन: ॥ ४ ॥
patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ
If one offers Me with bhakti a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, I accept that offering when it is presented with devotion by a purified heart.
These famous words are also spoken by the Lord in Bhagavad-gītā (9.26) ; the translation and word meanings here are taken from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.
FAQs
This verse states that Kṛṣṇa accepts even a leaf, flower, fruit, or water when it is offered with sincere devotion and a purified heart.
In the context of Sudāmā’s humble visit, Kṛṣṇa emphasizes that He is pleased by devotion, not by wealth or elaborate presentation.
Offer whatever you can—simple food or even water—with prayerful attention, gratitude, and devotion, focusing on sincerity rather than extravagance.