The Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 9 · verse 9.26

Whoever offers me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water — that, the offering of the pure-hearted, I accept.

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति। तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः॥

Transliteration

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati; tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

English translation

Whoever offers me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water — that, the offering of the pure-hearted, I accept.

Meaning — what the verse is actually saying

The Gita's most democratic verse. No wealth, no scholarship, no ritual qualification is required. A leaf, offered honestly, is received. Sincerity is the entire criterion.

Modern practice — what to do today because of this

Stop waiting until your offering is impressive enough to make. Whatever you have right now, given fully, is exactly enough. The verse is the death of the idea that spiritual life is for advanced practitioners.

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