Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.7.32
Mukti· LiberationLearn Through Intelligence for Devotional Service
“The brāhmaṇa said: My dear King, with my intelligence I have taken shelter of many spiritual masters. Having gained transcendental understanding from them, I now wander about the earth in a liberated condition. Please listen as I describe them to you.”
What the purport teaches
- The brāhmaṇa took shelter of many spiritual masters through his intelligence. They did not speak directly to him; he learned by thoughtful observation.
- Rather than treating the material elements as objects for enjoyment, he accepted them as instructing spiritual masters. In this way, he remained engaged in service to the guru while traveling.
- Steady intelligence helped him transcend useless desires and remain on the transcendental platform. His ultimate goal was loving devotional service to the Lord.
Try this today
Notice one desire to use something merely for enjoyment, and pause to consider how your response could support devotional service instead.
Ask yourself
Do I view the world mainly as something to enjoy, or as an opportunity to learn for 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.