Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.22.4
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesMake Kṛṣṇa the Center of Worship
“Each of the young unmarried girls performed her worship while chanting the following mantra. “O goddess Kātyāyanī, O great potency of the Lord, O possessor of great mystic power and mighty controller of all, please make the son of Nanda Mahārāja my husband. I offer my obeisances unto you.””
What the purport teaches
- The gopīs prayed to Kātyāyanī to have the son of Nanda Mahārāja as their husband. Their purpose was not a material benediction but simply to love and satisfy Kṛṣṇa.
- The purport identifies the Durgā worshiped here as Yoga-māyā, the Lord’s internal potency. The name Durgā does not refer exclusively to His external, illusory potency.
- The gopīs are the Lord’s most exalted devotees, and their activities should not be considered mundane. Their superexcellent characteristic was their readiness to do everything for Kṛṣṇa’s satisfaction and service.
Try this today
Offer a brief prayer today asking for the desire to love and serve Kṛṣṇa.
Ask yourself
Is my worship centered on satisfying Kṛṣṇa or obtaining something material?
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.