Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.7.15
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesResponding to Grief With Comfort
“Draupadī, the mother of the five children of the Pāṇḍavas, after hearing of the massacre of her sons, began to cry in distress with eyes full of tears. Trying to pacify her in her great loss, Arjuna spoke to her thus:”
What the purport teaches
- Draupadī heard that her five sons had been massacred. The verse presents her distress as a mother facing a terrible loss.
- Her eyes filled with tears, and she began to cry. Her grief is openly acknowledged in the narration.
- Arjuna spoke to Draupadī, trying to pacify her in her great loss. His words were addressed to her suffering.
Try this today
Offer a brief, gentle message of comfort to someone you know who is grieving.
Ask yourself
When someone is grieving, do I acknowledge their pain before trying to comfort them?
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.