Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.14.25
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesŚiva’s Power and Unstained Renunciation
“Lord Śiva’s body is reddish, and he is unstained, but he is covered with ashes. His hair is dusty from the whirlwind dust of the burning crematorium. He is the younger brother of your husband, and he sees with his three eyes.”
What the purport teaches
- Lord Śiva is not an ordinary living entity, yet he is not on an equal level with Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is more powerful than even Brahmā.
- Although immensely powerful, Śiva does not live pompously or seek material possessions. Covered with crematorium ashes and dust, he remains unstained by material contamination.
- Śiva can see past, present and future, and his three eyes are compared to the sun, moon and fire. Kaśyapa warns Diti that privacy would not hide their disregard of the forbidden time.
Try this today
In one private decision today, choose what is proper rather than what you think will go unnoticed.
Ask yourself
Would I make the same choice if I remembered that privacy does not remove responsibility?
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.