Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.9.19
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesKnow the Lord Through Loving Service
“O King, Lord Śiva, Nārada the sage amongst the demigods, and Kapila, the incarnation of Godhead, all know very confidentially about His glories through direct contact.”
What the purport teaches
- Pure devotees know the Lord’s glories through different forms of transcendental loving service. Śiva, Nārada and Kapila know these glories through direct contact.
- The Lord’s willingness to become subordinate to His devotees is itself a feature of His glory. His exchanges with Yaśodā and Arjuna reveal this loving relationship.
- Difficulties given by the Lord can free a devotee from illusory material relationships and deepen attraction to His loving service. These tribulations differ from suffering caused by vicious action.
Try this today
Set aside one small material enjoyment today and use that time to read about the Lord’s glories in this purport.
Ask yourself
How might difficulty help me loosen material attachment and turn toward loving 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.