Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.17.22
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutySeeing the Lord’s Grace in Reverses
“The King said: O you, who are in the form of a bull! You know the truth of religion, and you are speaking according to the principle that the destination intended for the perpetrator of irreligious acts is also intended for one who identifies the perpetrator. You are no other than the personality of religion.”
What the purport teaches
- A devotee understands that neither benefit nor harm can come without the Lord’s sanction. He therefore does not regard another person as the independent cause.
- The devotee accepts both favorable and unfavorable circumstances as God’s grace. By that grace, he tolerates reverses without anger toward those who cause trouble.
- The bull’s refusal to place blame revealed his understanding of the finer principles of religion. Mahārāja Parīkṣit therefore recognized him as the personality of religion.
Try this today
Recall one small setback today and pause to seek the Lord’s grace rather than dwell on blame.
Ask yourself
How might remembering the Lord’s sanction change my response to a setback?
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.