Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.82.48
Āśraya· The supreme shelterPure Devotees Desire Only Kṛṣṇa
“The gopīs spoke thus: Dear Lord, whose navel is just like a lotus flower, Your lotus feet are the only shelter for those who have fallen into the deep well of material existence. Your feet are worshiped and meditated upon by great mystic yogīs and highly learned philosophers. We wish that these lotus feet may also be awakened within our hearts, although we are only ordinary persons engaged in household affairs.”
What the purport teaches
- The gopīs prayed that Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, the only shelter from material existence, might awaken within their hearts. They presented themselves as ordinary people engaged in household affairs.
- Their reverential words carried a trace of jealous anger at His attempt to teach them jñāna-yoga. Pure devotees desire neither material elevation nor spiritual liberation, but only Him.
- Their deepest plea was for Kṛṣṇa to return with them to Vṛndāvana. Only His presence there, with peacock feathers and His enchanting flute, could restore them—not theoretical knowledge of the self.
Try this today
During one household task, pray that Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet may awaken within your heart.
Ask yourself
What do you seek most in devotion: benefits for yourself, or Kṛṣṇa and His service?
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.