Welcoming the Lord into our Home and Heart

A concise summary of Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 11

Sage Suta describes a simple process of welcoming the Lord into our homes and hearts through the narration of welcoming the Lord by the residents of Dwaraka after the Mahabharatha war.

The Lord is compared to the Sun and troubles are compared to darkness. Wherever there is Sun, there can’t be darkness. Wherever there is Lord, there is auspiciousness and calmness.

A devotee can follow the below steps to welcome the Lord:

1. Blow the conch shell and think of the Lord standing in the midst of lotuses

2. Offer a lamp and food. The Lord doesn’t require any offerings but the Lord is pleased when a devotee offers something to him with love. It is said in Sri Isopanishad that the Lord can consume our offerings even with his glance. He doesn’t need to use hands like us to consume food

3. Say the following prayers:

• I submit myself to your lotus feet which is the shelter of Brahma and Indra

• I consider you as my mother, father, friend, well-wisher, spiritual master, and worshipable deity

• I hope I can see your beautiful form, affectionate smile, and loving glances which can vanquish all my sufferings

• Every moment of your absence in my heart feels like millions of years

• I bow down to your chest which is the abode of Goddess of Fortune

• I pay my respects to you who descended on to the Earth at your own will to give pleasure to your devotees

• I surrender to you who is unaffected by the matter

4. Offer flowers, water, fruits, yogurt, and unbroken seeds

5. Offer incense

6. Pay obeisances

7. Sing a devotional prayer

8. Imagine the Lord is embracing you

This process can be followed by anyone regardless of their birth and qualification. It is said that the Lord will reciprocate with anyone who takes a step to communicate with him whether the person is learned, illiterate, prostitute, impure, etc.