Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.83.15-16
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesDevotional Service Is the Soul’s Perfection
“Śrī Bhadrā said: My dear Draupadī, of his own free will my father invited his nephew Kṛṣṇa, to whom I had already dedicated my heart, and offered me to Him as His bride. My father presented me to the Lord with an akṣauhiṇi military guard and a retinue of my female companions. My ultimate perfection is this: to always be allowed to touch Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet as I wander from life to life, bound by my karma.”
What the purport teaches
- Bhadrā had already dedicated her heart to Kṛṣṇa when her father freely offered her to Him as His bride. She desires always to touch His lotus feet, life after life.
- The purport explains that Bhadrā speaks for all living entities. The soul’s perfection is devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, both in this world and beyond, in liberation.
- Lord Kṛṣṇa’s name is unique: merely uttering it is commendable as the highest expression of reverence for God. His holy name is supremely glorious.
Try this today
Speak the name Kṛṣṇa attentively today, as an expression of reverence for Him.
Ask yourself
How would seeing devotional service as my perfection change my priorities?
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.