Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.2.16
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesKṛṣṇa’s Apparent Contradictions Reveal His Supreme Power
“When I think of Lord Kṛṣṇa — how He was born in the prison house of Vasudeva although He is unborn, how He went away from His father’s protection to Vraja and lived there incognito out of fear of the enemy, and how, although unlimitedly powerful, He fled from Mathurā in fear — all these bewildering incidents give me distress.”
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa is the original person from whom everything and everyone comes. Nothing can equal or surpass Him.
- He plays His roles so perfectly that even pure devotees like Uddhava become bewildered. Like a father accepting defeat in play with his child, the Lord acts for pleasure without losing His power.
- Because He is all-powerful, the Lord can reconcile birth and no birth, power and defeat, fear and fearlessness. The contradictions disappear when we understand Him as the Lord, not as an imperfect person like ourselves.
Try this today
Choose one apparent contradiction in the translation and reflect for a minute on how Kṛṣṇa’s unlimited power makes it possible.
Ask yourself
When Kṛṣṇa’s actions seem contradictory, am I judging Him by my own limitations?
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.