Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.18.36
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyFollow Duties Freely for Kṛṣṇa’s Pleasure
“Just as I, the Supreme Lord, execute regulative duties by My own free will, similarly, one who has realized knowledge of Me should maintain general cleanliness, purify his hands with water, take bath and execute other regulative duties not by force but by his own free will.”
What the purport teaches
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead observes regulative duties by His own free will to set a proper example. No one can force Him to act.
- A self-realized soul is a servant of Lord Kṛṣṇa, not a servant of rules and regulations. Nevertheless, such a devotee strictly follows regular duties for the Lord’s pleasure.
- This teaching concerns the paramahaṁsa stage of advanced spiritual realization. It must not be used to justify immoral or whimsical behavior by those attached to the material body.
Try this today
Perform one daily cleanliness duty carefully today, with the intention of pleasing Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Ask yourself
How can I approach a regular duty as service rather than merely an obligation?
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.