Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.16.9
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesFollow the Lord in Honoring Devotees
“I am the master of My unobstructed internal energy, and the water of the Ganges is the remnant left after My feet are washed. That water sanctifies the three worlds, along with Lord Śiva, who bears it on his head. If I can take the dust of the feet of the Vaiṣṇava on My head, who will refuse to do the same?”
What the purport teaches
- The opulences of the Lord’s internal, spiritual energy remain undisturbed. Material opulences are temporary reflections of spiritual reality.
- The Lord is supreme in both the spiritual and material worlds. The Ganges, which has washed His feet, sanctifies the three worlds along with Lord Śiva.
- Despite His supremacy, the Lord bears the dust of the Vaiṣṇava’s feet on His head. His own example teaches us to respect brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas.
Try this today
Offer a respectful greeting to a devotee today, remembering the Lord’s example.
Ask yourself
If the Lord Himself honors His devotees, how should I treat them?
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.