Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.22.32
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesSpiritual Shelter Amid Material Miseries
“Having entered the city of Barhiṣmatī, in which he had previously lived, Manu entered his palace, which was filled with an atmosphere that eradicated the three miseries of material existence.”
What the purport teaches
- Material existence brings three kinds of misery: those arising from body and mind, natural disturbances and other living beings.
- Human society is meant to create a spiritual atmosphere by spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Manu’s palace had an atmosphere that protected him from material miseries.
- Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not mean that external troubles completely disappear. The purport compares it to an antiseptic that protects one from being affected by those troubles.
Try this today
During one difficulty today, pause for a minute to remember Kṛṣṇa rather than expecting the difficulty to disappear.
Ask yourself
Am I seeking only the removal of troubles, or also spiritual shelter amid 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.