Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.6.43
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesNanda Mahārāja’s Simple Love
“O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, best of the Kurus, Nanda Mahārāja was very liberal and simple. He immediately took his son Kṛṣṇa on his lap as if Kṛṣṇa had returned from death, and by formally smelling his son’s head, Nanda Mahārāja undoubtedly enjoyed transcendental bliss.”
What the purport teaches
- Nanda Mahārāja was very liberal and simple. He could not understand how the inhabitants of his house had allowed Pūtanā to enter or imagine the gravity of the situation.
- He did not understand that Kṛṣṇa had wanted to kill Pūtanā and that His pastimes were performed by Yoga-māyā. He simply thought that someone had entered his house and created havoc.
- Nanda Mahārāja immediately took Kṛṣṇa on his lap as if his son had returned from death. By formally smelling his son’s head, he enjoyed transcendental bliss.
Try this today
Spend a quiet minute today remembering Nanda Mahārāja taking Kṛṣṇa on his lap with affection.
Ask yourself
What touches you about Nanda Mahārāja’s affection for Kṛṣṇa, even without understanding His purpose?
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.