Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.15.25-26
Nirodha· Winding upServe the Lord Rather Than Imitate Him
“O King, as in the ocean the bigger and stronger aquatics swallow up the smaller and weaker ones, so also the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to lighten the burden of the earth, has engaged the stronger Yadu to kill the weaker, and the bigger Yadu to kill the smaller.”
What the purport teaches
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead engaged the stronger Yadus to kill the weaker and thus lighten the burden of the earth. The translation compares this to stronger aquatics swallowing weaker ones.
- The desire to lord it over material nature is the root cause of conditioned life. This mentality produces disparity and the struggle for existence.
- In the spiritual world, everyone exists eternally and wants to serve the Supreme Lord rather than imitate Him. The Lord is the true proprietor and enjoyer of everything.
Try this today
Pause before one activity today and consciously choose a mood of service to the Lord rather than personal control.
Ask yourself
Where do I notice a desire to control or enjoy things instead of serving the Lord?
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.