Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.6.16
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesDevotional Service Develops Love for Kṛṣṇa
“As soon as I began to meditate upon the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead with my mind transformed in transcendental love, tears rolled down my eyes, and without delay the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, appeared on the lotus of my heart.”
What the purport teaches
- Spiritual development begins with śraddhā, a liking for the Supreme Lord. Association with pure devotees and regulated devotional service help that liking grow.
- Devotional practice removes misgivings and deficiencies that hinder progress. Firm faith develops into taste, attraction and then bhāva, the stage preceding unalloyed love for God.
- As Nārada meditated with transcendental love, tears came automatically and Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appeared in his heart. He experienced the Lord through developed spiritual senses without material tinge.
Try this today
Give five attentive minutes today to a regular practice of devotional service.
Ask yourself
What can I do to nourish steady devotional practice rather than seek its outward emotional signs?
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.