Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.40.28
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionShelter Through Mercy and Devotee Service
“Being thus fallen, I am approaching Your feet for shelter, O Lord, because although the impure can never attain Your feet, I think it is nevertheless possible by Your mercy. Only when one’s material life has ceased, O lotus-naveled Lord, can one develop consciousness of You by serving Your pure devotees.”
What the purport teaches
- Although fallen, the speaker approaches the Lord’s feet for shelter.
- The impure cannot attain the Lord’s feet by their own condition, yet His mercy makes approaching Him possible.
- Only when material life has ceased can consciousness of the Lord develop through serving His pure devotees. Such service is central to the prayer’s devotional hope.
Try this today
Offer a brief prayer for shelter at the Lord’s feet and for an opportunity to serve His pure devotees.
Ask yourself
How can I approach the Lord with greater dependence on His mercy?
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.