Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.18.14
Āśraya· The supreme shelterKṛṣṇa Is the Source of Unlimited Pleasure
“The Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa [Govinda], is the exclusive shelter for all great living beings, and His transcendental attributes cannot even be measured by such masters of mystic powers as Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā. Can anyone who is expert in relishing nectar [rasa] ever be fully satiated by hearing topics about Him?”
What the purport teaches
- Śiva and Brahmā possess great mystic powers, but they are not supreme. Govinda, Lord Kṛṣṇa, is the supreme powerful, and even they cannot measure His attributes.
- Kṛṣṇa is the exclusive shelter of the greatest living beings and the reservoir of all enjoyment. Loving service to Him gives unlimited transcendental pleasure.
- The Lord and His name, qualities, and pastimes are unlimited. Hearing about Him increases the purified audience’s desire to hear, rather than bringing the satiation found in material affairs.
Try this today
Reread one passage about Kṛṣṇa today, giving yourself a few quiet minutes to hear it attentively rather than rushing onward.
Ask yourself
Am I approaching hearing about Kṛṣṇa as something to finish, or as an opportunity for growing loving 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.