Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.16.35
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesThe Earth’s Deep Separation From the Lord
“Who, therefore, can tolerate the pangs of separation from that Supreme Personality of Godhead? He could conquer the gravity and passionate wrath of His sweethearts like Satyabhāmā by His sweet smile of love, pleasing glance and hearty appeals. When He traversed my [earth’s] surface, I would be immersed in the dust of His lotus feet and thus would be sumptuously covered with grass which appeared like hairs standing on me out of pleasure.”
What the purport teaches
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead could overcome His sweethearts’ gravity and passionate anger through His loving smile, pleasing glance and hearty appeals.
- As the Lord walked upon the earth, she felt the touch of His lotus feet. Her abundant grass appeared like hairs standing on end in pleasure.
- The queens could experience separation when the Lord was away from home, but the earth remained in contact with His footsteps. Her separation became especially acute when He returned to His spiritual abode.
Try this today
Spend a minute remembering the Lord’s loving smile and lotus feet as described in this verse.
Ask yourself
What does the earth’s sorrow reveal about how deeply she treasured the Lord’s presence?
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.