Flower should be utilized for Krishna’s Service

Prabhupada, Bombay, January 19, 1975:…So different kinds of smell there are already within the earth. Simply it brings out by different methods. The scientist does not know. That we have already explained several times, that the different gandha, or smell, or fragrance, or aroma, whatever you call, there are already within the earth.

Punyo gandhah prthivyam ca. Krishna says in the Bhagavad- gita, punyo gandhah and papo gandhah. In the material world, everywhere, there are two things: pious and impious. So the papo gandhah, bad smell, when it passes, so you close your nose, nostrils, not to accept it. But when there is punyo gandhah, you feel fresh: “Oh, it is very nice.”

So Krishna says, punyo gandhah prthivyam ca. When you smell something very fragrant… Just like in the flower. There are different varieties of flower, and they are exacting different varieties of aroma from the earth. So the good smell of the flower… In some other place it is said in the Bhagavatam that the…, when you see flower, you see Krishna smiling.

That is the seeing of Krishna smiling. Therefore the flower should be utilized for Krishna’s service. Because these flowers, everything, is Krishna’s energy. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. So specifically good fragrance of flower, Krishna says that “I am that.” Krishna’s particular presence is there. So we can remember Krishna immediately. This Krishna consciousness movement is that you remember always Krishna. Always Krishna.

Just like Maharaja Ambarisa did. Sa vai manah Krishna-padaravindayoh. He engaged his mind at the lotus feet of Krishna simply by engaging the mind. Vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane. If we utilize our senses always in the service of the Lord, that is bhakti. At the present moment we are utilizing our senses for material objectives.

That is to be purified. It should be used for Krishna’s service. We are using our senses for the service of society, friendship, and love. But that service should be transferred to Krishna. Then it is bhakti. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Bhakti means… This flower, we are smelling; we are enjoying. That is sense gratification. Similarly, this same flower, if it is offered to Krishna as garland, that He will smell it and feel pleasure, that is bhakti.

So to come to the bhakti-marga, or devotional service, it is not very difficult. The smell is creation of God, or Krishna, punyo gandhah prthivyam ca. Therefore the smell should be used for Krishna’s pleasure. Full Lecture