Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.27.13
Mukti· LiberationThe Deity Is Our Eternal Lord
“The Deity form of the Lord, who is the shelter of all living entities, can be established in two ways: temporarily or permanently. But a permanent Deity, having been called, can never be sent away, My dear Uddhava.”
What the purport teaches
- The Deity form of the Lord is the shelter of all living entities and may be established temporarily or permanently. A permanently established Deity can never be sent away.
- Devotees understand themselves to be the Lord’s eternal servitors. Recognizing the Deity as the Lord Himself, they arrange for perpetual worship.
- Materialistic worship treats the Lord as an order supplier for temporary enjoyment. Loving devotees in Kṛṣṇa consciousness worship the Personality of Godhead eternally, rather than exploiting Him for personal ends.
Try this today
Before worship today, pause and remember that you are the Lord’s servant, not His master.
Ask yourself
Am I approaching the Lord to serve Him or mainly to receive something from Him?
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.