Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.2.8
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesDevotional Service Prepares Us for Kṛṣṇa
“Within the womb of Devakī is My partial plenary expansion known as Saṅkarṣaṇa or Śeṣa. Without difficulty, transfer Him into the womb of Rohiṇī.”
What the purport teaches
- Baladeva, Kṛṣṇa’s first plenary expansion, is also known as Śeṣa and supports the entire universe. Having prepared Devakī’s womb for the Lord, He was to enter the womb of Rohiṇī, His eternal mother.
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead remains transcendental even when He enters the material world. Only devotional service enables one to understand Him as He is.
- The purport symbolically connects Devakī with bhakti and her six sons with lust, anger, greed, illusion, madness and envy. By remaining alert to material contamination and cultivating pure devotion, one becomes fit for Kṛṣṇa’s appearance.
Try this today
When you notice anger, greed or envy today, pause and spend one minute remembering Kṛṣṇa instead of feeding that feeling.
Ask yourself
Which of these six contaminations most distracts you from devotional 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.