Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.13.11
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesThe Supreme Lord Enjoys With His Friends
“Kṛṣṇa is yajña-bhuk — that is, He eats only offerings of yajña — but to exhibit His childhood pastimes, He now sat with His flute tucked between His waist and His tight cloth on His right side and with His horn bugle and cow-driving stick on His left. Holding in His hand a very nice preparation of yogurt and rice, with pieces of suitable fruit between His fingers, He sat like the whorl of a lotus flower, looking forward toward all His friends, personally joking with them and creating jubilant laughter among them as He ate. At that time, the denizens of heaven were watching, struck with wonder at how the Personality of Godhead, who eats only in yajña, was now eating with His friends in the forest.”
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, accepts offerings of yajña. Yet He sat in the forest eating yogurt, rice and fruit with His friends like an ordinary child.
- Kṛṣṇa joked about a bumblebee disturbing His brāhmaṇa friend Madhumaṅgala. The boys laughed and enjoyed these joking words while eating.
- The inhabitants of the higher planets watched in astonishment. The Lord who eats offerings of yajña was enjoying such intimate friendship.
Try this today
Spend a minute remembering Kṛṣṇa sitting among His friends and making them laugh.
Ask yourself
What strikes you about the Supreme Personality of Godhead laughing and eating with His friends?
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.