Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 12.8.40
Āśraya· The supreme shelterThe Almighty Becomes His Worshipers’ Friend
“Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said: O Almighty Lord, how can I possibly describe You? You awaken the vital air, which then impels the mind, senses and power of speech to act. This is true for all ordinary conditioned souls and even for great demigods like Brahmā and Śiva. So it is certainly true for me. Nevertheless, You become the intimate friend of those who worship You.”
What the purport teaches
- Mārkaṇḍeya humbly asks how he can possibly describe the Almighty Lord.
- The Lord awakens the vital air, which sets the mind, senses and speech into action. Even Brahmā and Śiva depend on Him in this way.
- Although everyone depends on His power, the Lord becomes the intimate friend of those who worship Him.
Try this today
Use your power of speech today to offer the Lord a short prayer of gratitude.
Ask yourself
How might remembering that your speech depends on the Lord change the way you use it?
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.