Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.16.19
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesRecognize the Burden of Anxiety and Separation
“Dharma [in the form of a bull] asked: Madam, are you not hale and hearty? Why are you covered with the shadow of grief? It appears by your face that you have become black. Are you suffering from some internal disease, or are you thinking of some relative who is away in a distant place?”
What the purport teaches
- Dharma noticed the earth’s grief and asked about her health. He wondered whether she suffered from an internal disease or separation from someone dear.
- The purport describes people in the Age of Kali as burdened by ailments and anxiety. Their faces can reveal the condition of their minds.
- Earning a livelihood often separates family members. Disease, separation from loved ones and anxiety about maintaining one’s situation are important causes of unhappiness.
Try this today
Contact one relative who lives far away and gently ask how they are feeling.
Ask yourself
Is someone I know carrying the pain of illness, separation or worry about their livelihood?
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.