Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.15.10
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionNever Insult the Lord’s Devotees
“It was He only who loosened the hair of all the wives of the miscreants who dared open the cluster of your Queen’s hair, which had been nicely dressed and sanctified for the great Rājasūya sacrificial ceremony. At that time she fell down at the feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa with tears in her eyes.”
What the purport teaches
- Duḥśāsana insulted Draupadī by touching her sanctified hair. She fell at Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet with tears in her eyes.
- The purport connects this insult with the Kuru wives becoming widows after the Battle of Kurukṣetra. Their loosened hair marked the loss of their husbands.
- The Lord may tolerate insults to Himself, as a father tolerates insults from a son, but He never tolerates insults to His devotees. Insulting a great soul causes one to lose the results of pious acts and benedictions.
Try this today
Before speaking about a devotee today, pause and remove any insulting words from what you intend to say.
Ask yourself
How can you show greater care and respect when speaking about the Lord’s devotees?
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.