Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.87.11
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesEqual Sages Become Eager Listeners
“Although these sages were all equally qualified in terms of Vedic study and austerity, and although they all saw friends, enemies and neutral parties equally, they chose one of their number to be the speaker, and the rest became eager listeners.”
What the purport teaches
- The sages were equally qualified in Vedic study and austerity. Yet they chose one among them to speak.
- They saw friends, enemies and neutral parties equally. Their learning was joined with an impartial vision.
- The other sages became eager listeners. Equal qualification did not keep them from hearing attentively from one another.
Try this today
In one conversation today, let another person speak and listen attentively without interrupting.
Ask yourself
When I know something about a subject, can I still listen eagerly to others?
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.