Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.14.39
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesNotice and Inquire About Another’s Welfare
“My brother Arjuna, please tell me whether your health is all right. You appear to have lost your bodily luster. Is this due to others disrespecting and neglecting you because of your long stay at Dvārakā?”
What the purport teaches
- Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira had inquired about Dvārakā’s welfare from many angles. He concluded that nothing inauspicious could happen while Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself was there.
- Still, Arjuna appeared to have lost his bodily luster. The King noticed this change and asked about his personal health and welfare.
- He asked whether Arjuna had been disrespected or neglected during his long stay. These were concerned questions, not conclusions about what had happened.
Try this today
Gently ask someone who seems troubled how they are doing, and listen without assuming the cause.
Ask yourself
Am I attentive enough to notice when someone near me seems troubled?
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.