Through this wonderful story, we understand how Deity worship is not just a ritual. It is an understanding that Krsna is a person and we treat Him like a person, as his servant. So, every year during the summer season, everyone is very much inconvenienced by the heat. Sometimes its air conditioners, sometimes there are fans, so many arrangements we make. Sometimes we just get out and escape to some cold place. But everyone is to some extent very much inconvenienced by the suffering of too much heat.
Generally in the heat of sun, people want to relax; they want to go to sleep; they want to find some cool place and the vaisnavas, 400 people are crowded, packed in a small room and they are dancing, they are jumping, they are leaping, they are bathing in each other’s perspiration, doesn’t make sense. Completely illogical materially. But we know that we are doing it because it gives Krsna pleasure. We don’t mind how hot we are, we don’t mind how inconvenienced we are, if Krsna is pleased. And also because it’s so hot, we shouldn’t be thinking so much of my inconvenience, we should be thinking of Krsna’s inconvenience. And that is what chandan yatra means. That Krsna is a person and we are approaching him as a person and if it’s the hot season, the most important consideration is how to make Krsna nice and cool, not to make ourselves nice and cool. Because even if you are nice and cool, your heart will still be burning with material desires. Krsna is in your heart. When Krsna is cool, your heart becomes cool. Let your body burn, no problem. When you water the root of the tree, the whole tree is nourished. Krsna is the root of all that exists. When Krsna is satisfied from the inner depths of our soul, we become satisfied. No superficial sensual enjoyment is going to satisfy your inner needs, only pleasing Krsna will satisfy your inner needs.
