Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.6.20
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesThe Lord’s Names in Protective Care
“The child was thoroughly washed with cow urine and then smeared with the dust raised by the movements of the cows. Then different names of the Lord were applied with cow dung on twelve different parts of His body, beginning with the forehead, as done in applying tilaka. In this way, the child was given protection.”
What the purport teaches
- The child was thoroughly washed with cow urine and then smeared with dust raised by the cows’ movements.
- Different names of the Lord were applied with cow dung on twelve parts of His body, beginning with the forehead.
- The translation compares this marking to applying tilaka. These acts were performed to give the child protection.
Try this today
Reread the translation and note how the Lord’s names were included in the protective care.
Ask yourself
What do you notice about the place of the Lord’s names in this careful protection of the child?
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.