Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 2.4.19
Āśraya· The supreme shelterDesire Only to Satisfy the Lord
“He is the Supersoul and the Supreme Lord of all self-realized souls. He is the personification of the Vedas, religious scriptures and austerities. He is worshiped by Lord Brahmā and Śiva and all those who are transcendental to all pretensions. Being so revered with awe and veneration, may that Supreme Absolute be pleased with me.”
What the purport teaches
- The Supreme Lord rules over all paths of self-realization, but He is perfectly realized only by devotees who are free from pretension.
- Those seeking material enjoyment, liberation or mystic powers want something for themselves. Devotees are called niṣkāmī because they desire everything for the Lord’s satisfaction, not their own.
- The devotee is peaceful because he makes no demand for himself and is always ready to serve the Lord’s desire. Realizing ourselves as His eternally subordinate parts and parcels leads us toward devotional service.
Try this today
Before one duty today, pause and pray, “May I do this for Your satisfaction, not merely my own.”
Ask yourself
Where could I replace a desire for personal satisfaction with a desire to please 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.