Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 2.7.11
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesDevotion Fulfills the Purpose of Sacrifice
“The Lord appeared as the Hayagrīva incarnation in a sacrifice performed by me [Brahmā]. He is the personified sacrifices, and the hue of His body is golden. He is the personified Vedas as well, and the Supersoul of all demigods. When He breathed, all the sweet sounds of the Vedic hymns came out of His nostrils.”
What the purport teaches
- The Lord appeared as golden-hued Hayagrīva in Brahmā’s sacrifice. He is the personified sacrifices, the personified Vedas, and the Supersoul of all demigods.
- Vedic hymns commonly accompany sacrifices performed for material results and the satisfaction of demigods. Yet the Lord Himself embodies both the sacrifices and the hymns.
- A direct devotee of the Lord automatically fulfills the purposes of sacrifice and pleases the demigods. Such devotion stands above work for material rewards and separate worship of demigods.
Try this today
Offer a short prayer to the Lord today, asking to serve Him rather than seeking a material reward.
Ask yourself
Is my spiritual practice centered on devotion to the Lord or on obtaining material rewards?
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.