Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.16.41
Āśraya· The supreme shelterSee Kṛṣṇa as the Source of Opulence
“I have briefly described to you all My spiritual opulences and also the extraordinary material features of My creation, which are perceived by the mind and defined in different ways according to circumstances.”
What the purport teaches
- The Lord’s spiritual manifestations, such as Vāsudeva and Nārāyaṇa, are eternal and unchanging. Extraordinary material features reflect His opulences but do not have the same status as His full personal manifestations.
- People describe material opulences according to their circumstances and states of mind. In doing so, they often forget that every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that all talents are His potencies.
- By seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa as the source of all opulences and giving up desires to enjoy or possess them, one can see their spiritual nature. One can then become perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness while still perceiving the world’s variety.
Try this today
Notice one outstanding talent in someone today and consciously acknowledge Kṛṣṇa as its source, without wishing to possess or enjoy it.
Ask yourself
Which talent or possession do I tend to see as mine rather than as Kṛṣṇa’s potency?
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.