Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.9.34
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesKṛṣṇa Accepts Genuine Loving Service
“On the battlefield [where Śrī Kṛṣṇa attended Arjuna out of friendship], the flowing hair of Lord Kṛṣṇa turned ashen due to the dust raised by the hoofs of the horses. And because of His labor, beads of sweat wetted His face. All these decorations, intensified by the wounds dealt by my sharp arrows, were enjoyed by Him. Let my mind thus go unto Śrī Kṛṣṇa.”
What the purport teaches
- The Lord is the absolute form of eternity, bliss and knowledge. He graciously accepts service offered with genuine love and affection in any of the five principal relationships.
- Bhīṣmadeva’s arrows were a transcendental exchange of loving service, not ordinary hostility. The Lord and His body are one spiritual identity, so the apparent wounds caused Him no material pain.
- Kṛṣṇa did not leave Arjuna alone under Bhīṣmadeva’s arrows, nor was He reluctant to visit Bhīṣmadeva’s deathbed. Bhīṣmadeva appreciated this mercy and fixed his mind on Kṛṣṇa.
Try this today
Read the translation slowly once, then spend a quiet moment directing your mind toward Kṛṣṇa’s mercy.
Ask yourself
What does Kṛṣṇa’s merciful treatment of Bhīṣmadeva teach me about His acceptance of genuine devotion?
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.