Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 2.6.46
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesHearing the Lord’s Pastimes Cleanses the Heart
“O Nārada, now I shall state, one after another, the transcendental incarnations of the Lord known as līlā-avatāras. Hearing of their activities counteracts all foul matters accumulated in the ear. These pastimes are pleasing to hear and are to be relished. Therefore they are in my heart.”
What the purport teaches
- Ordinary news and talks do not fully satisfy the heart because their messages do not meet the soul’s deepest need. Hearing the transcendental activities of the Lord brings true satisfaction.
- The Lord’s activities include material creation and His pastimes in innumerable incarnations. Devotees take greater interest in His transcendental pastimes than in theories about material creation.
- Hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam clears the heart of accumulated material impurity. As interest in the Lord’s pleasing activities grows, interest in impure literature fades.
Try this today
Replace five minutes of ordinary news or talk today with listening to a passage of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about the Lord’s activities.
Ask yourself
What am I choosing to hear, and does it nourish my interest in 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.