Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.25.17
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionFreedom From Pride Through Devotional Service
“Since the demigods are endowed with the mode of goodness, the false pride of considering oneself the Lord should certainly not affect them. When I break the false prestige of those bereft of goodness, My purpose is to bring them relief.”
What the purport teaches
- The demigods are deputed servants of the Supreme Lord, serving Him through cosmic administration. When they deviate from proper behavior, they act as conditioned souls rather than as demigods.
- False prestige is an anxiety-ridden burden that prevents true peace and satisfaction. The Lord breaks such pride to relieve His servant and save him from impiety.
- Advanced devotional service uses worldly opulence honestly and solely for the Lord’s pleasure. Kṛṣṇa brought Indra to his senses because he had forgotten that he was a humble servant of God.
Try this today
Use one resource you have—time, ability, or possessions—for a small act of devotional service today.
Ask yourself
Am I using what I have for the Lord’s pleasure or to strengthen my own prestige?
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.