Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.19.20-24
Mukti· LiberationOffer Your Life in Devotional Service
“Firm faith in the blissful narrations of My pastimes, constant chanting of My glories, unwavering attachment to ceremonial worship of Me, praising Me through beautiful hymns, great respect for My devotional service, offering obeisances with the entire body, performing first-class worship of My devotees, consciousness of Me in all living entities, offering of ordinary, bodily activities in My devotional service, use of words to describe My qualities, offering the mind to Me, rejection of all material desires, giving up wealth for My devotional service, renouncing material sense gratification and happiness, and performing all desirable activities such as charity, sacrifice, chanting, vows and austerities with the purpose of achieving Me — these constitute actual religious principles, by which those human beings who have actually surrendered themselves to Me automatically develop love for Me. What other purpose or goal could remain for My devotee?”
What the purport teaches
- Faith in the Lord’s pastimes, chanting His glories and worship offered in surrender develop love for Him. What further goal could remain for His devotee?
- The Lord is extremely satisfied when His pure devotees are worshiped. Because He values them so generously, their worship is described as superior to worship of the Lord Himself.
- Ordinary bodily activities should be offered to the Supreme Lord as devotional service, and words should describe His glories. Money should support His service, the spiritual master’s mission and other Vaiṣṇavas.
Try this today
Before taking your next bath, consciously offer that bodily activity as service to the Supreme Lord.
Ask yourself
Which ordinary part of my day could I consciously offer in the Lord’s service?
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.