Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.20.52
Visarga· Brahmā's creationWorship Is Essential for Spiritual Knowledge
“Having equipped himself with austere penance, adoration, mental concentration and absorption in devotion, accompanied by dispassion, and having controlled his senses, Brahmā, the self-born living creature, evolved great sages as his beloved sons.”
What the purport teaches
- Ritualistic sacrifices support material economic development, keeping the body in good condition for cultivating spiritual knowledge. Actual spiritual knowledge requires further qualifications.
- What is essential is vidyā, or worship of the Supreme Lord. Bodily postures are not the end of yoga; they help concentrate the mind upon the Supersoul.
- Through penance, worship, concentration in devotion, dispassion and sense control, Brahmā created great sages as his beloved sons. They would set the example for spiritual realization.
Try this today
Set aside two quiet minutes today to worship the Supreme Lord with focused attention.
Ask yourself
How can I make worship, rather than bodily comfort alone, central to my spiritual practice?
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.