Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.2.12
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesKṛṣṇa’s Eternal Form and Unequaled Opulence
“The Lord appeared in the mortal world by His internal potency, yoga-māyā. He came in His eternal form, which is just suitable for His pastimes. These pastimes were wonderful for everyone, even for those proud of their own opulence, including the Lord Himself in His form as the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha. Thus His [Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s] transcendental body is the ornament of all ornaments.”
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa appeared through His internal potency, yoga-māyā, in His eternal form suited to His pastimes. Though He seemed human, no one could equal Him in wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge or renunciation.
- The Lord’s pastimes never stop; they are sometimes visible and sometimes invisible to our limited vision. His disappearance means that He passes beyond our sight.
- His pastimes in the mortal world show mercy even to conditioned souls. His transcendental body is the ornament of all ornaments, and His pastimes are wonderful even to the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha.
Try this today
Choose one of Kṛṣṇa’s six opulences and spend a minute reflecting on how no one equals Him in it.
Ask yourself
How does remembering Kṛṣṇa’s unequaled qualities help me loosen pride in my own abilities or possessions?
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.