Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.23.38-39
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesSpiritual Determination Became a Target of Ridicule
“Some would ridicule him by saying, “Just see this greatly powerful sage! He is as steadfast as the Himālaya Mountains. By practice of silence he strives for his goal with great determination, just like a heron.” Other persons would pass foul air upon him, and sometimes others would bind this twice-born brāhmaṇa in chains and keep him captive like a pet animal.”
What the purport teaches
- Some mocked the brāhmaṇa as a powerful sage, sarcastically comparing his steadfastness to the Himālaya Mountains.
- They ridiculed his silence and determination by comparing him to a heron. Their words were mockery, not genuine appreciation.
- Others passed foul air upon him or chained him and kept him captive like a pet animal. Their ridicule extended to degrading physical treatment.
Try this today
Avoid making or joining a joke about someone’s sincere spiritual practice today.
Ask yourself
Have I ever treated another person’s spiritual determination as something to ridicule?
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.