Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.88.20
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesA Simple Offering Pleases Lord Śiva
“Lord Śiva said to him: My friend, please stop, stop! Ask from me whatever you want, and I will bestow that boon upon you. Alas, you have subjected your body to great torment for no reason, since I am pleased with a simple offering of water from those who approach me for shelter.”
What the purport teaches
- Lord Śiva addressed Vṛka as his friend and urged him to stop tormenting his body.
- He offered to grant whatever boon Vṛka desired, while declaring that the bodily torment had been needless.
- Lord Śiva said that a simple offering of water pleases him when it comes from those who approach him for shelter.
Try this today
Read Lord Śiva's words aloud once, paying attention to his acceptance of a simple offering of water.
Ask yourself
Do I overlook the value of a simple offering made while seeking shelter?
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.