Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 2.3.22
Mukti· LiberationEngage Eyes and Feet in Devotion
“The eyes which do not look at the symbolic representations of the Personality of Godhead Viṣṇu [His forms, name, quality, etc.] are like those printed on the plumes of the peacock, and the legs which do not move to the holy places [where the Lord is remembered] are considered to be like tree trunks.”
What the purport teaches
- Deity worship is especially recommended for householders under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master. Daily service to the Lord purifies their existence and helps them advance in spiritual knowledge.
- Book knowledge alone is not sufficient for a beginner; spiritual knowledge develops through both learning and practical worship. The spiritual master personally teaches service such as dressing the Deity and cleaning the temple.
- Seeing the beautifully decorated forms of the Lord in a sanctified temple gives spiritual inspiration. Visits to temples and holy places should follow proper spiritual guidance, rather than be mere sightseeing.
Try this today
Visit a temple today and attentively look at the Lord’s worshipable form with a devotional purpose, rather than as a sightseer.
Ask yourself
How can I combine what I study with practical service to the Lord?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.