Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.19.15
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesSurrender Frees the Heart From Fear
“O brāhmaṇas, just accept me as a completely surrendered soul, and let mother Ganges, the representative of the Lord, also accept me in that way, for I have already taken the lotus feet of the Lord into my heart. Let the snake-bird — or whatever magical thing the brāhmaṇa created — bite me at once. I only desire that you all continue singing the deeds of Lord Viṣṇu.”
What the purport teaches
- Mahārāja Parīkṣit asked to be accepted as a completely surrendered soul, having taken the Lord’s lotus feet into his heart.
- Complete surrender to the Supreme Lord’s lotus feet removes fear of death. The King’s surrender and the presence of great devotees assured his return to Godhead.
- Rather than asking to escape death, he desired that the devotees continue singing the deeds of Lord Viṣṇu.
Try this today
Spend five minutes hearing or reading a narration of Lord Viṣṇu’s deeds.
Ask yourself
What can you learn from the King’s desire to hear about the Lord amid uncertainty?
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.