Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.3.19
Āśraya· The supreme shelterThe Lord Directs Everything Without Changing
“O my Lord, learned Vedic scholars conclude that the creation, maintenance and annihilation of the entire cosmic manifestation are performed by You, who are free from endeavor, unaffected by the modes of material nature, and changeless in Your spiritual situation. There are no contradictions in You, who are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Parabrahman. Because the three modes of material nature — sattva, rajas and tamas — are under Your control, everything takes place automatically.”
What the purport teaches
- Creation, maintenance and annihilation take place under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His many energies carry out everything naturally and systematically.
- The Lord remains changeless and unaffected by the modes of material nature. Although everything depends on Him, He does not need to labor.
- When servants perform their duties, their work is counted as the master’s activity even while he sits still. Similarly, the Lord is the master of creation, although His energies perform the work.
Try this today
Reread the translation once, then offer a brief prayer of respect to the Supreme Lord whose energies carry out everything.
Ask yourself
How does knowing that everything works under the Lord’s direction deepen my reverence for Him?
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.