Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.22.8
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesExpress Your Needs with Humility
“O great sage, graciously be pleased to listen to the prayer of my humble self, for my mind is troubled by affection for my daughter.”
What the purport teaches
- Manu humbly asked the sage to hear his prayer. His mind was troubled by affection for his daughter.
- A pure devotee or disciple generally does not ask the Lord or spiritual master for favors. Sincere service, rather than seeking favors, comes first.
- When a disciple has faithfully received and executed the spiritual master’s instructions, he may ask a needed favor. Manu wished to disclose his concern about his daughter.
Try this today
Before asking for a favor today, attend sincerely to one instruction or responsibility already entrusted to you.
Ask yourself
When seeking spiritual guidance, do I give as much attention to serving as to asking?
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.