Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.58.4
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesRespect Elders in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness
“After the Lord bowed down at the feet of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīma and firmly embraced Arjuna, He accepted obeisances from the twin brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva.”
What the purport teaches
- Externally, Kṛṣṇa and the Pāṇḍavas related as cousin-brothers. He bowed at the feet of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīma because they were senior to Him.
- Kṛṣṇa firmly embraced His peer Arjuna. He accepted obeisances from the younger brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva.
- The Lord’s example shows that offering respect to a senior brother in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not sinful. Inexperienced devotees should not mistake such respect for wrongdoing.
Try this today
Offer a respectful greeting to a senior devotee today.
Ask yourself
How does Kṛṣṇa’s example shape your attitude toward senior devotees?
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.