Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 2.7.23
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesHonor the Lord as Master of Opulence
“Due to His causeless mercy upon all living entities within the universe, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, along with His plenary extensions, appeared in the family of Mahārāja Ikṣvāku as the Lord of His internal potency, Sītā. Under the order of His father, Mahārāja Daśaratha, He entered the forest and lived there for considerable years with His wife and younger brother. Rāvaṇa, who was very materially powerful, with ten heads on his shoulders, committed a great offense against Him and was thus ultimately vanquished.”
What the purport teaches
- Lord Rāma is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and His brothers are His plenary expansions, not ordinary human beings. Sītā is His internal potency.
- The Lord appeared out of causeless mercy when factual religion was disturbed. As an ideal son, He obeyed His father’s order and entered the forest with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa.
- Sītā is meant to be worshiped along with Lord Rāmacandra, not enjoyed separately from Him. Rāvaṇa’s destruction teaches that material wealth and power cannot protect one who exploits the Lord’s nature while denying His supremacy.
Try this today
Offer a brief prayer honoring Sītā and Lord Rāmacandra together, acknowledging Him as the master of all opulence.
Ask yourself
Do I regard prosperity as something to exploit for myself, or as belonging to the Supreme 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.