Bewildering Pastimes 83
offerings. If one decorates oneself, one’s reflection in a mirror will also
appear decorated. Similarly, since we are reflections of Krsna, if we deco-
rate Krsna we also shall be decorated. In the Bible it is said that man was
made in the image of God, and this means that we are reflections of
God’s image. It is not that we invent or imagine some form of God ac-
cording to our own form. Those who adhere to the Mayavada philosophy
of anthropomorphism say, ‘‘The Absolute Truth is impersonal, but be-
cause we are persons we imagine that the Absolute Truth is also a per-
son.”’ This is a mistake, and in fact just the opposite is true. We have two
hands, two legs, and a head because God Himself has these same
features. We have personal forms because we are reflections of God.
Furthermore, we should philosophically understand that if the original
person benefits, the reflection also benefits. So if we decorate Krsna, we
also shall be decorated. If we satisfy Krsna, we shall become satisfied. If
we Offer nice food to Krsna, we shall also eat the same food. Those who
live outside the temples of Krsna consciousness may never have imag-
ined such palatable food as the food we are offering to Krsna, but because
it is being offered to Krsna, we also have the opportunity to eat it. So we
should try to satisfy Krsna in all respects, and then we shall be satisfied in
all respects.

Krsna does not need our service, but He kindly accepts it. When Krsna
asks us to surrender unto Him (sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam
Saranam vraja), this does not mean that Krsna is lacking servants and

_ that if we surrender He will profit. Krsna can create millions of servants
by His mere desire. So that is not the point. But if we surrender to Krsna,
we shall be saved, for Krsna says, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo mok-
sayisyami: ‘‘I shall free you from all sinful reactions.’? We are suffering
here in this material world without any shelter. We even see many people
loitering in the street, with no aim in life. When we go walking by the
beach in the early morning, we see many young people sleeping or loiter-
ing there, aimless, confused, and not knowing what to do. But if we take
shelter of Krsna, then we shall know, ‘‘Oh, now I have found shelter.”’
Then there will be no more confusion, no more hopelessness. I receive
so many letters daily from people expressing how they have found hope
in Krsna consciousness. Therefore, it is not a fact that Krsna descended
here merely to collect some servants. Rather, He descended for our
benefit.

Unfortunately, however, instead of becoming Krsna’s servants, we are
becoming servants of so many other things. We are servants of our
senses and the sensual activities of lust, anger, greed, and illusion.
