Category:Watering the Roots of a Tree
Theme Analysis
Through a perfectly scientific and universally observable analogy, the Vedic literature simplifies the profound mystery of universal worship. Pouring water directly on the root of a tree effortlessly distributes life-giving nourishment to every single branch, twig, leaf, and flower. Similarly, supplying food to the stomach automatically enlivens all the senses and limbs of the body without requiring them to be fed individually. In the spiritual ecosystem, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the ultimate root of the cosmic manifestation. By dedicating one's devotional service exclusively to Him, a practitioner automatically satisfies all other living entities, including the ancestors, humanity, and the great demigods. Conversely, attempting to serve the fragmented parts of the universe while ignoring the Supreme Lord is an unauthorized waste of time. Such misguided philanthropy is compared to the foolishness of painstakingly watering a tree leaf by leaf. Because the demigods and all other beings are inextricably dependent on the Lord, bypassing Him ensures that true, lasting benefit is never achieved. Ultimately, engaging in pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest, most efficient welfare work possible, immediately generating spiritual energy that is distributed throughout the entirety of creation.
- The Universal Metaphor: Just as watering a root hydrates the whole tree, and feeding a stomach vitalizes the entire body, engaging in pure devotional service automatically satisfies everyone.
- The Authorized Process: Attempting to serve humanity, society, or the demigods independently of the Supreme Lord is compared to foolishly watering the leaves of a tree; it wastes energy and violates regulative principles.
- Automatic Satisfaction: Kṛṣṇa is the absolute origin of everything. By pleasing Him, all of His parts and parcels—including the powerful demigods—are instantly pleased without any extraneous endeavor or separate sacrifices.
- The Supreme Welfare Work: Offering one's actions directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead constitutes the absolute highest benefit for the world, effortlessly distributing spiritual nourishment across the cosmos.
- Finding the True Self: Frantically tending to the external demands of the material world while neglecting the Supreme Lord starves the soul. Missing Kṛṣṇa ultimately means missing one's own self.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Pouring Water on the Root is the Right Process.
Pages in category "Watering the Roots of a Tree"
The following 50 pages are in this category, out of 50 total.
A
- A tree has a form, and when water is poured on the root of the tree, the other forms - the leaves, twigs, flowers and fruits - are automatically watered
- As by pouring water on the root of the tree one serves and enlivens all the branches and leaves, so by rendering service unto the Supreme Lord one automatically serves every god and goddess without extraneous effort
- As by watering the root of a tree the leaves and branches are automatically watered, so, by executing pure ds to the Lord, the branches, twigs and leaves of God, known as demigods, are automatically pleased with the devotee, & they offer all benedictions
- As pouring water on the root of a tree nourishes the trunk, branches, twigs and leaves, & as supplying food to the stomach enlivens the senses & limbs of the body, worshiping the S P of God satisfies the demigods, who are part of that Supreme Personality
- As water on the root of a tree is automatically distributed to the leaves and branches, in Krsna consciousness, one can render the highest service to everyone - namely self, family, society, country, humanity, etc. BG 1972 purports
- As watering the root of a tree immediately distributes water to every part of the tree, so an offering made to Krsna, or any action done for Krsna, is to be considered the highest welfare work for everyone
B
- By giving water to the root of a tree, its branches, twigs and leaves become satisfied, &, similarly, by engaging in the transcendental service of the Supreme Lord, all the demigods and all the living entities automatically become satisfied. BG 1972 pur
- By pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one pleases everyone, just as by watering the root of a tree one satisfies every branch, twig and leaf of the tree
- By pouring water on the root of a tree, one automatically satisfies the trunk, branches and twigs. Similarly, by supplying food to the stomach, where it nourishes the life air, one satisfies all the senses
- By watering the root of a tree, one automatically nourishes the branches, twigs and fruits, and by supplying food to the stomach, all the senses are satisfied
- By worshiping or satisfying Acyuta, the SP of G, Krsna, one can satisfy everyone, just as one can water the branches, leaves and flowers of a tree simply by watering its root or as one satisfies all the senses of the body by giving food to the stomach
I
- If Krsna is satisfied, then whole world is satisfied. If you pour water on the root, then it is automatically distributed in every parts of the tree. So Krsna is the big tree, root of the big tree
- If one supplies water to the root of a tree, all the parts of the tree, such as the leaves and branches, are automatically satisfied, and if one supplies food to the stomach, all the limbs of the body - the hands, legs, fingers, etc. - are nourished
- If we water the root of a tree, the branches, twigs, fruits and flowers are automatically satisfied. When one offers sacrifices to different demigods, one should remember that the demigods are simply parts of the body of the Supreme
- In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (SB 3.4.12) it is stated that by giving water to the root of a tree, its branches, twigs and leaves become satisfied, and by supplying food to the stomach all the senses of the body become satisfied. BG 1972 purports
- It has been decided (niruktam) by expert saintly persons that Krsna is the root of everything and that worshiping Krsna is worshiping everyone, just as supplying water to the root of a tree means satisfying all of its branches and twigs
- It is like pouring water on the root of a tree or supplying food to one's stomach. The method of pouring water on the root of a tree or supplying foodstuffs to the stomach is universally scientific and practical, as every one of us has experienced
J
- Just by pouring water on the root of a tree, one nourishes its trunk & all of its branches, fruits & flowers, and just by supplying food to the stomach, one satisfies all the limbs of the body. Similarly, by worshiping Lord Visnu one can satisfy everyone
- Just like to water the root of the tree is to water the different branches and numerous leaves of the tree or to supply food to the stomach is to vitalize all the senses and the sense organs of the body
O
- One nourishes the tree by watering its root, and one nourishes the body by feeding the stomach, for if the body is to be kept in a healthy state, then the parts of the body must cooperate to feed the stomach. BG 1972 Introduction
- One process is to find the root of the tree, and next to water the root. The real student of sankhya philosophy finds the root of the material world, Visnu, and then, in perfect knowledge, engages himself in the service of the Lord. BG 1972 purports
P
- Pouring water on the root is the right process to water the tree, as much as feeding the stomach supplies energy to all parts of the body
- Pouring water on the root of a tree energizes the trunk, branches, twigs and everything else, and supplying food to the stomach enlivens the senses and limbs of the body
S
- Sahadeva said, "Just as by watering the root of a tree one automatically waters the branches, twigs, leaves and flowers, so by offering the first worship to Krsna we shall satisfy everyone present in this meeting, including the great demigods"
- Several times I have discussed this point, that a big tree, if you have to pour water, then you have to pour water on the root
- Simply by satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one satisfies the demigods and all other living entities without differentiation. If one pours water on the root of a tree, all the branches, twigs, flowers and leaves are nourished
- Sometimes people ask why this Krsna consciousness movement simply advocates worship of Krsna to the exclusion of the demigods. The answer is given in this verse (SB 4.31.14). The example of pouring water on the root of a tree is very appropriate
- Sri Advaita Acarya is one of the important trunks of the bhakti-kalpataru, or desire tree of devotional service. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as a gardener, poured water on the root of the bhakti tree and thus nourished all its trunks and branches
T
- The personified Vedas continued, "In other words, You are the root of the whole creation. Therefore those who engage in Your devotional service without deviation, who always worship You, actually pour water on the root of the universal tree"
- There is a proper method to water a tree: one should water the root. But if one waters the leaves and branches instead, he is simply wasting his time. If one worships the demigods to the exclusion of Lord Visnu, his rewards will only be material
- They do not know how to act. Just like if you pour water on the tree, then it is accepted that you are pouring water on the tree but that is not the process. The process is to pour water on the root of the tree
- Those who are busy rendering service to the parts and parcels, leaving aside the whole, only spoil time and energy, as one does when watering the leaves of a tree without watering the root
W
- We are watering all parts of the tree, but missing the tree's root. We are trying to keep our body fit by all means, but we are neglecting to supply foodstuffs to the stomach. Missing Krsna means missing one's self also
- When a man pours water on the leaves and branches of a tree without pouring water on the root, he does so without sufficient knowledge or without observing regulative principles. BG 1972 purports
- When a man pours water on the leaves and branches of a tree without pouring water on the root, he does so without sufficient knowledge or without observing regulative principles. The process of watering a tree is to pour water on the root
- When one pours water on the root of a tree, the branches, trunk, twigs, flowers and leaves are all satisfied. Similarly, when one gives food to the stomach, all parts of the body are rejuvenated
- When one pours water on the root of a tree, the trunk and branches of the tree are automatically pleased. Similarly, when one becomes a devotee of Lord Visnu, everyone is served, for the Lord is the Supersoul of everyone
- When one waters the root of a tree, he automatically waters the branches, twigs, leaves and flowers; when one supplies food to the stomach through the mouth, he satisfies all the various parts of the body
- When the same activities are performed for the satisfaction of the Lord, the beneficial results are distributed to everyone, just as water poured on the root of a tree is distributed throughout the entire tree
- When water is poured onto the root of a tree, the branches and leaves are nourished automatically
- When we pour water on the root, the energy thus created is immediately distributed throughout the entirety of even the largest tree. It is not possible to water the tree part by part, nor is it possible to feed the different parts of the body separately
- Without the Lord's relation, worship of the demigods is unauthorized (avidhi-purvakam), just as it is improper to water the leaves and branches of a tree without watering its root. Therefore the demigods are also dependent on Narayana
- Worship of Krsna alone includes worship of all the parts and parcels, just as watering the root of a tree also waters all the branches, twigs, leaves and flowers
- Worshiping Narayana, the all-inclusive Supreme Personality of Godhead, is like pouring water on the root of the tree, thus supplying water to the trunk, branches, twigs, leaves and so on