Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.7.12
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesThe Lord and His Devotees Are Inseparable
“Sūta Gosvāmī thus addressed the ṛṣis headed by Śaunaka: Now I shall begin the transcendental narration of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and topics of the birth, activities and deliverance of King Parīkṣit, the sage amongst kings, as well as topics of the renunciation of the worldly order by the sons of Pāṇḍu.”
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa kindly appears among living entities and participates in their daily activities. Historical events connected with Him become transcendental narrations, and hearing them brings us into relation with Him.
- The Lord’s activities are central to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, not merely supplementary history. The earlier cantos must be thoroughly understood before entering the topics of the Tenth Canto.
- Kṛṣṇa and His pure devotees cannot be separated. Thus accounts of King Parīkṣit and the sons of Pāṇḍu are also kṛṣṇa-kathā, topics of the Lord.
Try this today
Continue your study in sequence today, noting one reason the earlier cantos deserve careful attention.
Ask yourself
Do I value accounts of the Lord’s devotees as part of hearing about Kṛṣṇa?
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.