Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.5.17 · one of the 108 chosen verses
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionDevotional Service Is Never Lost
“One who has forsaken his material occupations to engage in the devotional service of the Lord may sometimes fall down while in an immature stage, yet there is no danger of his being unsuccessful. On the other hand, a nondevotee, though fully engaged in occupational duties, does not gain anything.”
What the purport teaches
- The scriptures allow one to relinquish material duties and surrender to the service of the Lord. Merely fulfilling occupational duties without devotion brings no lasting spiritual gain.
- An immature devotee may fall from the path through undesirable association. Still, the purport stresses surrender to the Lord’s lotus feet, even when there is a chance of falling.
- Even a small quantity of devotional service can save one from the most dangerous position. A fall does not erase the lasting value of service to the Lord.
Try this today
Make one small, sincere offering of service to the Lord today, even if your practice feels imperfect.
Ask yourself
Does fear of failure keep me from making a sincere effort in 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.