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ŚB 4.13.28

Devanagari

न विदामेह देवानां हेलनं वयमण्वपि ।
यन्न गृह्णन्ति भागान् स्वान् ये देवा: कर्मसाक्षिण: ॥ २८ ॥

Text

na vidāmeha devānāṁ
helanaṁ vayam aṇv api
yan na gṛhṇanti bhāgān svān
ye devāḥ karma-sākṣiṇaḥ

Synonyms

na — not; vidāma — can find; iha — in this connection; devānām — of the demigods; helanam — insult, neglect; vayam — we; aṇu — minute; api — even; yat — because of which; na — not; gṛhṇanti — accept; bhāgān — shares; svān — own; ye — who; devāḥ — the demigods; karma-sākṣiṇaḥ — witnesses for the sacrifice.

Translation

Dear King, we do not find any reason that the demigods should feel insulted or neglected in any way, but still the demigods who are witnesses for the sacrifice do not accept their shares. We do not know why this is so.

Purport

It is indicated herein that if there is negligence on the part of the priest, the demigods do not accept their share in sacrifices. Similarly, in devotional service there are offenses known as sevā-aparādha. Those who are engaged in worshiping the Deity, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, in the temple, should avoid such offenses in service. The offenses in service are described in The Nectar of Devotion. If we simply make a show of offering services to the Deity but do not care for the sevā-aparādha, certainly the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deity will not accept offerings from such nondevotees. Devotees engaged in temple worship should therefore not manufacture their own methods but should strictly follow the regulative principles of cleanliness, and then offerings will be accepted.