242 Sr7-Caitanya-caritamrta
mali manusya amara nahi rajya-dhana
phala-phula diya kari’ punya uparjana
SYNONYMS

mali—gardener; manusya—man; amara—My; nahi-there is none; rajya—kingdom;
dhana—wealth; phala—fruit; phula—flowers; diya—giving; kari’—do; punya—piety;
uparjana—achievement.

TRANSLATION

“Tam merely a gardener. I have neither a kingdom nor very great riches. | simply

have some fruits and flowers that | wish to utilize to achieve piety in My life.
PURPORT

In performing welfare activities for human society, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
presents Himself as being not very rich, thus indicating that a man need not be rich
or opulent to act for the welfare of humanity. Sometimes rich men are very proud
that they can perform beneficial activities for human society whereas others cannot.
A practical example is that when there is a scarcity of food in India on account of
meager rainfall, some members of the richer class very proudly distribute foodstuffs,
making huge arrangements with the help of the government, as if merely by such
activities people will be benefited. Suppose there were no food grains. How would
the rich men distribute food? Production of grains is completely in the hands of God.
If there were no rain, there would be no grains, and these so-called rich men would
be unable to distribute grains to the people.

The real purpose of life, therefore, is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of God-
head. Srila Ripa Gosvami describes in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu that devotional
service is so exalted that it is beneficial and auspicious for every man. Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu also declared that to propagate the bhakti cult of devotional service in
human society, one does not need to be very rich. Anyone can do it and thus render
the highest benefit to humanity if he knows the art. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
takes the part of a gardener because although a gardener is naturally not a very rich
man, he has some fruits and flowers. Any man can collect some fruits and flowers
and satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead in devotional service, as recom-
mended in Bhagavad-gita:

patram puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah
(Bg. 9.26)
One cannot satisfy the Supreme Lord by his riches, wealth or opulent position, but
anyone can collect a iittle fruit or flower and offer it to the Lord. The Lord says
that if one brings such an offering in devotion, He will accept it and eat it. When
