Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.61.29
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesMocking the Lord Is an Offense
“In that match Lord Balarāma first accepted a wager of one hundred coins, then one thousand, then ten thousand. Rukmī won this first round, and the King of Kaliṅga laughed loudly at Lord Balarāma, showing all his teeth. Lord Balarāma could not tolerate this.”
What the purport teaches
- Lord Balarāma accepted wagers of one hundred, one thousand and ten thousand coins. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains that these were gold coins.
- Rukmī won this first round, and the King of Kaliṅga laughed loudly at Lord Balarāma, showing all his teeth.
- The purport calls this mockery a gross offense. Lord Balarāma inwardly became quite angry and could not tolerate it.
Try this today
Avoid one mocking remark today, especially any remark that treats the Lord disrespectfully.
Ask yourself
Am I careful to distinguish harmless laughter from disrespectful mockery?
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.