Based on The Faith Book by Kadamba Kanana Swami
The Generous Householder
In a quiet village lived a kind-hearted man, known for his hospitality. Whenever a sadhu came to his door, he would welcome him with folded hands, a seat of straw, and a warm meal. His heart found joy in service, especially to those who had renounced the world for the Lord.
One day, a wandering sadhu arrived, glowing with the peace of renunciation. The householder washed his feet, offered him a place to rest, and served a meal with love.
The Question of Ghee
After eating, the sadhu noticed something. “My dear friend,” he said gently, “you’ve used pure ghee in your cooking. It is fragrant and rich. But tell me, did you offer it to the Lord before serving me?”
The householder lowered his head. “No, Mahārāja. I didn’t. I forgot. Please forgive me.”
The sadhu closed his eyes in silence.
A Sacred Lesson
He then said, “You fed me so lovingly, but you forgot the One who gives us everything—the One to whom all things belong. If this ghee had been offered to the Lord first, it would have become prasādam—sanctified food, full of spiritual power. Instead, you gave me something that was only material.”
The householder was ashamed, but the sadhu’s words were not to condemn—they were to awaken. “From now on,” the sadhu said kindly, “offer everything first to Kṛṣṇa. Then serve. Then share. That transforms even a simple meal into divine nectar.”
Every Act Can Become Worship
The householder bowed and promised, “From this day on, everything that enters my home will be offered first to the Lord.” His heart opened to a deeper understanding of bhakti: that nothing we have is truly ours—it is all His.
The True Meaning of Offering
This story reminds us that it is not what we give, but to whom we give first, that defines the worth of our actions. When we offer even a drop of water or a spoon of ghee to the Lord before we take it ourselves, our life becomes a yajña—a sacrifice of love.
A Verse to Remember
yajñāśiṣṭāśinaḥ santo
mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ
bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā
ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt“The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food that is offered first in sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.”
— Bhagavad-gītā 3.13
