Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.20.43
Visarga· Brahmā's creationServing Kṛṣṇa Benefits the Whole Family
“The Pitās themselves took possession of the invisible body, the source of their existence. It is through the medium of this invisible body that those well versed in the rituals offer oblations to the Sādhyas and Pitās [in the form of their departed ancestors] on the occasion of śrāddha.”
What the purport teaches
- The Pitās accepted the invisible body that was their source. Through this body, those versed in rituals offer śrāddha oblations to departed ancestors.
- By the Lord’s grace, śrāddha offerings can help ancestors receive gross bodies for spiritual advancement. The purport warns against using such bodies merely for sense gratification.
- A devotee in Kṛṣṇa consciousness always pleases the Supreme Lord, so ancestors in difficulty are automatically relieved. Serving Kṛṣṇa in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness fulfills the purpose of all rituals and benefits all living entities.
Try this today
Set aside a few minutes today for devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, remembering its benefit to your family.
Ask yourself
How can I make pleasing Kṛṣṇa the center of my concern for my family?
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.