Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 2.7.10
Mukti· LiberationHear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Rather Than Imitate Extraordinary Austerities
“The Lord appeared as the son of Sudevī, the wife of King Nābhi, and was known as Ṛṣabhadeva. He performed materialistic yoga to equibalance the mind. This stage is also accepted as the highest perfectional situation of liberation, wherein one is situated in one’s self and is completely satisfied.”
What the purport teaches
- The Lord appeared as Ṛṣabhadeva and demonstrated jaḍa-yoga, remaining unaffected by bodily mistreatment. Its real purpose is freedom from material attachment and complete establishment in the self.
- Ṛṣabhadeva’s uncommon practices should not be imitated by ordinary people. The purpose of every system of yoga is to subdue the material senses and prepare for self-realization.
- For this age, bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, is the practical path. Hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the right source can lead to the highest perfection of yoga.
Try this today
Spend five minutes hearing or reading this passage of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam attentively.
Ask yourself
Am I seeking steady devotional hearing rather than impressive or extreme practices?
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.