Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.3.9
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesThe Lord Teaches Sense Control
“In the fourth incarnation, the Lord became Nara and Nārāyaṇa, the twin sons of the wife of King Dharma. Thus He undertook severe and exemplary penances to control the senses.”
What the purport teaches
- The Lord appeared as Nara and Nārāyaṇa and undertook severe, exemplary penances to control the senses.
- Tapasya means voluntarily accepting penance for spiritual realization. The Lord Himself practiced it to teach human beings their duty.
- The Lord is kind to forgetful souls. He comes with instructions and sends His representatives to call conditioned souls back to Godhead.
Try this today
Forgo one small, unnecessary sense pleasure today and use that time to reflect on the Lord's instructions.
Ask yourself
How does the Lord's own example change your view of voluntary restraint?
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.