Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.2.23
Āśraya· The supreme shelterDevotional Service to Viṣṇu Brings Ultimate Benefit
“The transcendental Personality of Godhead is indirectly associated with the three modes of material nature, namely passion, goodness and ignorance, and just for the material world’s creation, maintenance and destruction He accepts the three qualitative forms of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva. Of these three, all human beings can derive ultimate benefit from Viṣṇu, the form of the quality of goodness.”
What the purport teaches
- The transcendental Personality of Godhead accepts the forms of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva for creation, maintenance and destruction. Although living beings may come under material energy, the Viṣṇu forms always control it.
- Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and all His plenary parts are viṣṇu-tattva, the Lordship of Godhead. They should be worshiped through devotional service.
- Demigods can offer temporary relief within material existence, but only Viṣṇu can release the living being from conditioned life. Those seeking freedom from birth, death, disease and old age must please Him.
Try this today
Take a quiet minute today to ask Lord Viṣṇu for the desire to serve Him rather than merely seek temporary relief.
Ask yourself
Am I seeking temporary relief, or the ultimate benefit of devotional 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.