Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 2.9.34 · one of the 108 chosen verses
Āśraya· The supreme shelterSee Everything in Relation to the Lord
“O Brahmā, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me, has no reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which appears to be in darkness.”
What the purport teaches
- Nothing can exist without the Personality of Godhead. Accepting anything as independent of Him is a product of His illusory energy.
- Mistaking a rope for a snake is illusion, but the rope itself is not false. Similarly, the material manifestation is not false; seeing it as separate from the Lord’s energy is illusion.
- Relating everything to the Lord is called yoga-māyā, the energy of union. The living being always remains an individual person, and the claim “I am the Supreme” is another snare of illusion.
Try this today
Choose one thing you use today and pause to consider how you can use it in relation to the Lord rather than independently of Him.
Ask yourself
What do I tend to see as valuable without considering its relationship with 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.