Text 6] The Activities of King Bharata 255
icchdnuriipam api yasya ca cestate sa
govindam addi-purusam tam ahar bhajami

Following the orders of Sri Krsna, the goddess Durga creates. maintains
and annihilates. Sri Krsna also confirms this statement in Bhagavad-gitda.
Mayadhyaksena prakrtih sityate sa-caracaram: “This material nature is
working under My direction, O son of Kunti. and it is producing all
moving and unmoving beings.” (Bg. 9.10)

We should worship the demigods in that spirit. Because the goddess
Durga satisfies Krsna, we should therefore offer respects to goddess
Durga. Because Lord Siva is nothing but Krsna’s functional body. we
should therefore offer respects to Lord Siva. Similarly. we should offer
respects to Brahma, Agni and Sarya. There are many offerings to
different demigods, and one should always remember that these
offerings are usually meant to satisfy the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Bharata Maharaja did not aspire to receive some benediction
from demigods. His aim was to please the Supreme Lord. In the
Mahabharata, among the thousand names of Visnu. it is said yajria-bhug
yajna-krd yajnah. The enjoyer of yajra, the performer of yajna and
yajna itself are the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is the performer
of everything, but out of ignorance the living entity thinks that he is the
actor. As long as we think we are the actors. we bring about karma-
bandha (bondage to activity). If we act for yajna, for Krsna. there is no
karma-bandha. Yajrarthat karmano ‘nyatra loko ‘yam karma-
bandhanah: “*Work done as a sacrifice for Visnu has to be performed.
otherwise work binds one to this material world.” (Bg. 3.9)

Following the instructions of Bharata Maharaja. we should act not for
our personal satisfaction but for the satisfaction of the Supreme Per-
sonality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gita (17.28) it is also stated:

asraddhaya hutarh dattam
tapas taptam krtam ca yat
asad ity ucyate partha
na ca tat pretya no tha
Sacrifices. austerities and charities performed without faith in the
Supreme Personality of Godhead are nonpermanent. Regardless of
