Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 2.4.23
Sarga· CreationServe as an Instrument of the Lord
“May the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who enlivens the materially created bodies of the elements by lying down within the universe, and who in His puruṣa incarnation causes the living being to be subjected to the sixteen divisions of material modes which are his generator, be pleased to decorate my statements.”
What the purport teaches
- A devotee sees himself as an instrument and does not claim credit for successful work. Śukadeva Gosvāmī asks the Supreme Personality of Godhead to make his statements successful and helpful to his hearers.
- The source of all truths is the Supreme Spirit, not gross matter. The beautiful arrangement of material creation is made possible by the Lord’s energy and His presence as Paramātmā.
- Vedic knowledge is explained through the descending process of paramparā, not through self-appointed interpretation. Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks as a humble devotional servant and asks for mercy for both himself and his hearers.
Try this today
Before explaining something to another person today, pray that your words may serve the Lord and genuinely help your listener.
Ask yourself
When something goes well, do I remember my dependence on 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.