Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.5.10
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesChoose Words That Glorify the Lord
“Those words which do not describe the glories of the Lord, who alone can sanctify the atmosphere of the whole universe, are considered by saintly persons to be like unto a place of pilgrimage for crows. Since the all-perfect persons are inhabitants of the transcendental abode, they do not derive any pleasure there.”
What the purport teaches
- Words describing the Lord’s glories can sanctify the whole universe. Saintly persons take no pleasure in words that lack such glorification.
- Decorative language about bodily and mental enjoyment cannot satisfy the spiritual urge. The purport compares beautiful writing without the Lord’s glories to decoration of a dead body.
- Swanlike, spiritually advanced people maintain voluntary transcendental service to the Lord. They enjoy literature glorifying Him because they have grasped the essence of human activities.
Try this today
Replace five minutes of reading about sense pleasure with reading that describes the Lord’s glories.
Ask yourself
Does my choice of reading nourish devotional service or mainly bodily and mental enjoyment?
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.