Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.16.12
Āśraya· The supreme shelterThe Lord in Sacred Sound
“Among the Vedas I am their original teacher, Lord Brahmā, and of all mantras I am the three-lettered oṁkāra. Among letters I am the first letter, “a,” and among sacred meters I am the Gāyatrī mantra.”
What the purport teaches
- Among the Vedas, the Lord is their original teacher, Lord Brahmā.
- Among mantras, He is the three-lettered oṁkāra. Among letters, He is the first letter, “a.”
- Among sacred meters, He is the Gāyatrī mantra. These examples direct our attention to the Lord in sacred teaching and sound.
Try this today
Write down the four examples in this verse and read them attentively as reminders of the Lord.
Ask yourself
Do I give sacred words the attention their connection with the Lord deserves?
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.