Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.8.21
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesRemembering Kṛṣṇa’s Childhood Brings Transcendental Happiness
“After a short time passed, both brothers, Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, began to crawl on the ground of Vraja with the strength of Their hands and knees and thus enjoy Their childhood play.”
What the purport teaches
- Rāma and Kṛṣṇa began crawling on Their hands and knees in Vraja. The Supreme Brahman was enjoying childhood play in Nanda Mahārāja’s courtyard.
- For an exalted devotee, merging into the Supreme appears no better than hell. Simply thinking of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma crawling brings transcendental happiness.
- Absorption in Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes is actual liberation, with devotion rather than impersonal merging as the goal. Vyāsadeva compiled Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam so that anyone could remember these pastimes and remain liberated.
Try this today
Spend one minute remembering Rāma and Kṛṣṇa crawling on Their hands and knees in Nanda Mahārāja’s courtyard.
Ask yourself
How does remembering Kṛṣṇa’s childhood help me appreciate devotion rather than impersonal merging?
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.