Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.25.35
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesSeeing the Lord With Devotional Love
“O My mother, My devotees always see the smiling face of My form, with eyes like the rising morning sun. They like to see My various transcendental forms, which are all benevolent, and they also talk favorably with Me.”
What the purport teaches
- Devotees do not worship idols; they directly worship the Personality of Godhead in His arcā incarnation. This worshipable form is not different from Him and allows Him to be seen by our material senses.
- The devotees’ vision is filled with love of God. They behold the Deity’s smiling face as transcendental and spiritual and appreciate the decoration of His body.
- The spiritual master teaches how to decorate the Deity, cleanse the temple and offer worship. Devotees express their minds before the Deity, although speaking directly with the Lord requires very elevated devotion.
Try this today
Today, take a quiet moment before the Deity to appreciate His form and express your wish to serve Him.
Ask yourself
How might remembering that the Deity is not different from the Lord deepen my attention during worship?
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.