Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.15.5
Nirodha· Winding upUse Borrowed Strength in the Lord’s Service
“Arjuna said: O King! The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, who treated me exactly like an intimate friend, has left me alone. Thus my astounding power, which astonished even the demigods, is no longer with me.”
What the purport teaches
- Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, treated Arjuna as an intimate friend. Arjuna’s astounding power came from Him, not from independent strength.
- The Lord empowered Arjuna to fulfill His mission and withdrew those extraordinary powers when they were no longer needed. Such powers were not required for returning home, back to Godhead.
- No one should become proud of powers borrowed from the Lord. The best use of strength and opulence is to engage them gratefully in His service.
Try this today
Use one ability or resource today for a small act of service to the Lord, consciously thanking Him for it.
Ask yourself
Which ability could you regard more gratefully as a gift meant for the Lord’s service?
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.