Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.90.20
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesSeeing a Cloud as Kṛṣṇa’s Loving Friend
“O revered cloud, you are indeed very dear to the chief of the Yādavas, who bears the mark of Śrīvatsa. Like us, you are bound to Him by love and are meditating upon Him. Your heart is distraught with great eagerness, as our hearts are, and as you remember Him again and again you shed a torrent of tears. Association with Kṛṣṇa brings such misery!”
What the purport teaches
- The cloud acts as Lord Kṛṣṇa’s friend by shielding Him from the scorching sun. The queens see such a well-wisher as constantly meditating on Him with concern for His welfare.
- Although the cloud shares the Lord’s blue complexion, His distinctive features, such as the Śrīvatsa mark, especially attract its meditation.
- The queens see the rain as tears shed in eager remembrance of Kṛṣṇa. In their own loving distress, they advise the cloud not to take so much interest in Him.
Try this today
Recall the cloud’s sheltering service and spend a moment remembering Kṛṣṇa’s Śrīvatsa mark.
Ask yourself
How do the queens see both loving service and longing in the cloud?
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.