SB 5.19.26
yaih sraddhaya barhisi bhagaso havir
niruptam istam vidhi-mantra-vastutah
ekah prthan-namabhir ahuto muda
grhnati purnah svayam asisam prabhuh
Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
In India [Bharata-varsa], there are many worshipers of the demigods, the various officials appointed by the Supreme Lord, such as Indra, Candra and Surya, all of whom are worshiped differently. The worshipers offer the demigods their oblations, considering the demigods part and parcel of the whole, the Supreme Lord. Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepts these offerings and gradually raises the worshipers to the real standard of devotional service by fulfilling their desires and aspirations. Because the Lord is complete, He offers the worshipers the benedictions they desire even if they worship only part of His transcendental body.
Purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
In Bhagavad-gita (9.13) Lord Krsna says:
mahatmanas tu mam partha
daivim prakrtim asritah
bhajanty ananya-manaso
jñatva bhutadim avyayam
“O son of Prtha, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.” Mahatmas, advanced devotees, worship only the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Others, however, who are also sometimes called mahatmas, worship the Lord as ekatvena prthaktvena. In other words, they accept the demigods as different parts of Krsna and worship them for various benedictions. Although the devotees of the demigods thus achieve the desired results offered by Krsna, they have been described in Bhagavad-gita as hrta-jñanah, not very intelligent. Krsna does not desire to be worshiped indirectly through the different parts of His body; Krsna wants direct devotional worship. Therefore a devotee who directly worships Lord Krsna through staunch devotional service, as recommended in Srimad-Bhagavatam, (tivrena bhakti-yogena yajeta purusam param), is very quickly elevated to the transcendental position. Nevertheless, devotees who worship the demigods, the different parts of the Lord, receive the benedictions they desire because the Lord is the original master of all benedictions. If anyone wants a particular benediction, for the Lord to award it is not at all difficult.