Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.3.44
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesRecognize the Supreme Lord Through Loving Service
“I have shown you this form of Viṣṇu just to remind you of My previous births. Otherwise, if I appeared like an ordinary human child, you would not believe that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, has indeed appeared.”
What the purport teaches
- The Lord showed His form of Viṣṇu to remind His parents of His previous appearances. Devakī already accepted Him, but worried that her neighbors would not believe He was her son.
- The Lord deals with His devotees like a human being, but He is not an ordinary human being. Devotees recognize the Supreme Personality of Godhead under all circumstances.
- The Lord asks us to think of Him, become His devotees, worship Him and offer obeisances. Attachment to Him through loving service assures our return to the transcendental world.
Try this today
Offer obeisances to Kṛṣṇa today and spend a quiet moment thinking of Him with devotion.
Ask yourself
How can I remember the Lord’s supreme position while developing personal affection 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.