Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.23.40
Mukti· LiberationAdjust Consciousness, Not Merely External Circumstances
“The brāhmaṇa understood that all his suffering — from other living beings, from the higher forces of nature and from his own body — was unavoidable, being allotted to him by providence.”
What the purport teaches
- The brāhmaṇa understood his suffering from other beings, nature and his own body as allotted by providence.
- He realized that his suffering arose from false identification with the material body, not merely from the body’s interaction with external conditions.
- Rather than trying to adjust his external situation, he worked on his Kṛṣṇa consciousness. His aim was to realize his actual identity as an eternal spirit soul.
Try this today
During one minor discomfort today, pause and remember your identity as an eternal spirit soul while turning your attention to Kṛṣṇa.
Ask yourself
When discomfort arises, do I also examine my bodily identification?
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.