Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.11.19
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesDevotional Service Is Open to Everyone
“At the same time, many hundreds of well-known prostitutes began to proceed on various vehicles. They were all very eager to meet the Lord, and their beautiful faces were decorated with dazzling earrings, which enhanced the beauty of their foreheads.”
What the purport teaches
- The prostitutes of Dvārakā were eager to meet the Lord. The purport teaches that devotees must not be hated because of their occupation.
- Devotional service is uncheckable in all circumstances; birth and occupation cannot bar someone from its path. Everyone who agrees to follow it can take shelter of the Lord.
- Real reformation means helping people become devotees of the Lord. Civilization advances when people are educated in the path of salvation, not merely when they become materially prosperous.
Try this today
Notice one judgment you make about someone's social position today, and remind yourself that devotional service is open to them.
Ask yourself
Do I overlook someone's devotion because of their social position or occupation?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.