Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.18.49
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesMeet Difficulty Without Resentment
“The sage thus regretted the sin committed by his own son. He did not take the insult paid by the King very seriously.”
What the purport teaches
- The sage regretted his son’s sin but did not take the King’s insult very seriously. Śṛṅgi’s curse was a serious offense, whereas Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s act was not a very serious offense.
- The foolish child deserved pardon from the Supreme Lord, although he could not escape the sinful reaction. Pardon does not mean freedom from the consequences of an offense.
- Mahārāja Parīkṣit did not resent the curse but took full advantage of the difficult situation. By the Lord’s will and Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī’s grace, he achieved the highest perfection of life.
Try this today
Recall one recent insult and pause before responding; ask how you could use the difficulty to turn toward the Supreme Lord.
Ask yourself
When I feel insulted, can I give less attention to resentment and more attention to my relationship with the Supreme Lord?
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.