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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 3: Chapter 29: Verses 20-32
True meaning of devotion and the glory of Time
Just as odour wafted from its source through the vehicle of a breeze catches the olfactory sense, so an equipoised mind engaged in the pursuit of Yoga (Devotion) embraces Me. I am ever present in all living beings as their very Self (Inner Controller). A man (therefore) who worships Me through an idol, showing disrespect to Me (as abiding in all creatures), makes a travesty of worship. Ignoring Me, the Supreme Ruler, the Self present in all living beings, he who stupidly resorts to idol-worship alone throws oblations into the ashes. The mind of a man who, full of pride, hates Me, abiding in the body of another, views Me as distinct from himself and bears deep-rooted malice to living creatures can never find peace. I am not pleased, even though adored through an image by means of formal worship carried on with costly or cheap materials, O sinless mother, by a man slighting other creatures. Performing his (allotted) duties, a man should worship Me, the Supreme Ruler, through images etc., only so long as he does not realize Me as present in his own heart ,as well as in (the heart of) other living beings. Figuring as Death, I cause great fear to him who makes the least discrimination between himself and another because of his ,differential outlook. Therefore, through charitable gifts and attentions as well as through friendly behaviour and by viewing all alike, one should propitiate Me, abiding in all creatures as their very Self, Living beings are superior to the inanimate creation, while animals are superior to (other) living beings, O blessed mother. Higher than the animals are beings gifted with consciousness and still higher than these are those endowed with sense-perception. Again, among the creatures endowed with sense-perception, those endowed with the sense of taste (such as fish) are superior to those having the sense of touch alone. Higher than those capable of perceiving taste are those endowed with the olfactory sense (bees etc.) and still higher are those capable of sensing sound (snakes etc.). Higher than these latter are those capable of perceiving the differences of colour( crows etc.) and still higher are those having teeth both in the upper and lower jaws. Of these latter, those endowed with a number of feet are superior to those having no feet; the quadrupeds are higher than those possessed of many feet; while a biped (human being) is superior to the quadrupeds. The members of the four castes are superior to other human beings; while the Brahmana ranks the foremost among the four castes. Of the Brahmanas, again, the knower of Veda is then best; and higher still is the man who knows the meaning of the Vedas. Higher than the latter is he who can clear doubts (a master of the Mimamsa system of philosophy) and higher still is the man who performs his own duty. Superior to him is he who is free from attachment and performs his duty in a disinterested spirit (expecting no reward for the same either here or hereafter).
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