Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.88.16
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesMisused Power Burdens the Giver
“He became pleased with ten-headed Rāvaṇa, and also with Bāṇa, when they each chanted his glories, like bards in a royal court. Lord Śiva then bestowed unprecedented power upon each of them, but in both cases he was consequently beset with great difficulty.”
What the purport teaches
- Rāvaṇa and Bāṇa pleased Lord Śiva by chanting his glories like bards in a royal court. He bestowed unprecedented power upon them.
- Rāvaṇa worshiped Lord Śiva to gain power, then misused it to uproot the lord's residence, sacred Kailāsa-parvata.
- Lord Śiva agreed to guard Bāṇa's capital personally. Later, he had to fight for Bāṇa against Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His sons.
Try this today
Identify one ability or advantage you have, and use it today without burdening someone else.
Ask yourself
Could the way I use an advantage create difficulty for someone who helped me?
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.