Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.72.22
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesOutward Dress Does Not Reveal Everything
“Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: From the sound of their voices, their physical stature and the marks of bowstrings on their forearms, Jarāsandha could tell that his guests were of the royal order. He began to think he had seen them somewhere before.”
What the purport teaches
- Jarāsandha recognized signs of royalty in his guests’ voices, physical stature and bowstring marks.
- The ācāryas explain that he had seen Lord Kṛṣṇa, Bhīmasena and Arjuna at Draupadī’s svayaṁvara ceremony.
- Because they came begging in the guise of brāhmaṇas, Jarāsandha thought they must be low-class kṣatriyas. This was his judgment of them.
Try this today
Today, pause before judging someone by their clothing or outward role.
Ask yourself
Do I sometimes judge someone’s worth too quickly from their outward appearance?
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.