Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.16.34
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionRecognizing Mercy in Kṛṣṇa’s Correction
“What You have done here is actually mercy for us, since the punishment You give to the wicked certainly drives away all their contamination. Indeed, because this conditioned soul, our husband, is so sinful that he has assumed the body of a serpent, Your anger toward him is obviously to be understood as Your mercy.”
What the purport teaches
- Kāliya’s wives understand Kṛṣṇa’s anger as mercy. His punishment drives away the contamination of the wicked.
- A pious person who suffers recognizes the Supreme Lord’s punishment as His causeless mercy.
- Envious persons remain resentful even when the Lord punishes them for purification. This envy prevents them from understanding the Absolute Truth.
Try this today
Offer a brief prayer asking Kṛṣṇa to help you give up resentment and become purified.
Ask yourself
When I face difficulty, does resentment close me off from seeking the Lord’s mercy?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.