Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.18.27
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesAn Awkward Meeting Prepares for Revelation
“The sage, in meditation, was covered by the skin of a stag, and long, compressed hair was scattered all over him. The King, whose palate was dry from thirst, asked him for water.”
What the purport teaches
- The meditating sage wore a stag skin, and his long, compressed hair was scattered over him. The King’s palate was dry from thirst, and he asked for water.
- The purport calls this meeting providential. Such a great devotee and king asking water from a sage absorbed in trance was an unusual occurrence.
- Mahārāja Parīkṣit was placed in this awkward position so that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam could gradually be revealed.
Try this today
Reread this verse and pause to appreciate the circumstances that prepared for Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam’s revelation.
Ask yourself
How does this providential meeting affect the way I value the opportunity to study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?
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.