Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.4.10
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionKṛṣṇa Protects Devotees Through Every Obstacle
“The demigods place many obstacles on the path of those who worship You to transcend the temporary abodes of the demigods and reach Your supreme abode. Those who offer the demigods their assigned shares in sacrificial performances encounter no such obstacles. But because You are the direct protector of Your devotee, he is able to step over the head of whatever obstacle the demigods place before him.”
What the purport teaches
- The demigods are servants of the Supreme Lord, who awards benedictions through them. A devotee of the Lord has no need to worship them separately.
- Proud of their material position, demigods sometimes place obstacles before those exclusively devoted to the Lord. But Kṛṣṇa directly protects His surrendered devotees.
- For a sincere devotee, impediments become stimuli for further spiritual advancement. They can increase determination and become a stairway back to the kingdom of God.
Try this today
Choose one small act of devotional service and complete it today despite a manageable obstacle.
Ask yourself
How could a present obstacle strengthen my determination in devotional 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.