Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.66.25
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesConjecture Is Not Recognition
“Seeing a head decorated with earrings lying at the gate of the royal palace, the people present were puzzled. Some of them asked, “What is this?” and others said, “It is a head, but whose is it?””
What the purport teaches
- People gathered in astonishment at the head lying at the royal gate. Its earrings helped them recognize what they were seeing.
- Some thought it was Kṛṣṇa’s head, imagining that the King of Kāśī had killed his enemy.
- It was finally recognized as the head of Kāśirāja himself, not Kṛṣṇa. Their initial conjecture was mistaken.
Try this today
Before repeating one uncertain claim today, pause and distinguish what you know from what you are guessing.
Ask yourself
When do I accept a guess before checking what is actually known?
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.