Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 12.10.16
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesHumble Service to the Fully Satisfied
“Mārkaṇḍeya said: O mighty lord, what can I possibly do for you, who are fully satisfied by your own ecstasy? Indeed, by your mercy you satisfy this entire world.”
What the purport teaches
- Mārkaṇḍeya addressed Lord Śiva as a mighty lord. He acknowledged that Lord Śiva was fully satisfied by his own ecstasy.
- The sage humbly asked what he could possibly do for someone already fully satisfied.
- Mārkaṇḍeya praised Lord Śiva’s mercy as the source of satisfaction for the entire world.
Try this today
Before one act of service today, pause and ask yourself how you can offer it humbly.
Ask yourself
What does Mārkaṇḍeya’s question teach you about humility in 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.