Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.81.6-7
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionKṛṣṇa Understands His Devotee’s Motives
“Being the direct witness in the hearts of all living beings, Lord Kṛṣṇa fully understood why Sudāmā had come to see Him. Thus He thought, “In the past My friend has never worshiped Me out of a desire for material opulence, but now he comes to Me to satisfy his chaste and devoted wife. I will give him riches that even the immortal demigods cannot obtain.””
What the purport teaches
- As the direct witness in every heart, Kṛṣṇa fully understood why Sudāmā had come. His friend had never worshiped Him for material opulence.
- The Lord does not force worldly enjoyment upon a devotee who is deeply averse to it. He may give wealth and power to a devotee who is neither attracted nor repelled by material things.
- Sudāmā came out of compassion for his faithful wife and a longing to see Kṛṣṇa. The Lord decided to give him riches beyond the reach of the immortal demigods.
Try this today
Spend one minute examining your motives, then offer a prayer focused on serving Kṛṣṇa rather than gaining wealth.
Ask yourself
What motives do you notice in your own desire to approach Kṛṣṇa?
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.