Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.19.20
Mukti· LiberationChoose Eternal Association Over Temporary Power
“[The sages said:] O chief of all the saintly kings of the Pāṇḍu dynasty who are strictly in the line of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa! It is not at all astonishing that you give up your throne, which is decorated with the helmets of many kings, to achieve eternal association with the Personality of Godhead.”
What the purport teaches
- Temporary positions are not the highest gain of life. Human life is meant for returning to the Lord’s eternal abode as His associate and servant.
- Materialistic life brings painful separation from loved ones and meetings with what is unwanted. Prahlāda Mahārāja therefore prayed for shelter at the Lord’s lotus feet.
- The Pāṇḍava kings strictly followed Lord Kṛṣṇa and were never captivated by their imperial thrones. Mahārāja Parīkṣit likewise gave up his throne, desiring eternal association with the Personality of Godhead.
Try this today
Take one quiet minute today to pray for shelter at the Lord’s lotus feet and the opportunity to serve Him.
Ask yourself
Which temporary achievement most distracts me from seeking the Lord’s eternal association?
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.