Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.13.54
Āśraya· The supreme shelterDevotion Reveals the Lord’s Eternal Forms
“The viṣṇu-mūrtis all had eternal, unlimited forms, full of knowledge and bliss and existing beyond the influence of time. Their great glory was not even to be touched by the jñānīs engaged in studying the Upaniṣads.”
What the purport teaches
- The forms of Viṣṇu are eternal, unlimited, full of knowledge and bliss, and beyond time. Each form Kṛṣṇa assumed was fully Viṣṇu Himself, not merely a display of His energy.
- Scriptural learning alone cannot reveal the Supreme Personality of Godhead; He is understood by His mercy through devotion. His personal form is transcendental, not material.
- Sound Vedic knowledge leads into devotional understanding, not mere sentimentality. Daily reading and discussion of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam make this knowledge increasingly clear.
Try this today
Reread one paragraph of this purport today, asking for the Lord’s mercy to understand Him through devotion.
Ask yourself
Am I approaching my study as a way to develop devotion, rather than simply gather information?
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.