"Swami," the doctor said, "you'll have to take this pill."
"Offer it to Thakorji first."
Swamishri was visiting Dr. Ghanshyambhai's dispensary in Kisumu, Kenya to receive a cholera vaccination. To prevent any unwanted reaction, the doctor gave Swamishri a pill which was subsequently held in front of HarikrishnaMaharaj for a few moments. Swamishri remarked that the pill was now sanctified. Then popping it into his mouth, he looked straight up, almost at the ceiling and closing his eyes momentarily, he swallowed the medicine.
The doctor was surprised. He knew that whatever Swamishri ate or drank was first offered to Thakorji. He had also heard that objects such as pens, slippers or spectacles, when first brought, were offered to the Lord - but medicine? The experience was a novel one for the doctor and Swamishri had been so natural about it. An accompanying sadhu explained that although it was not proper to offer medicines to Thakorji, Swamishri always insisted that they be shown to the Lord to sanctify them.
Offering one's self to God is a type of devotion referred to in the scriptures as atmanivedanam. A true atmanivedi devotee believes that everything belongs to his master and thus offers anything that he is to use or consume first to Him, to sanctify prior to using it himself. He surrenders everything to the Lord, and performs his activities only to please God