Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.28.15
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesSpiritual Beauty Never Fades
“He also wears around His neck a garland of attractive sylvan flowers, and a swarm of bees, intoxicated by its delicious fragrance, hums about the garland. He is further superbly adorned with a pearl necklace, a crown and pairs of armlets, bracelets and anklets.”
What the purport teaches
- The Lord wears a fresh garland of forest flowers, surrounded by bees attracted to its fragrance. He enjoys their sweet humming.
- In Vaikuṇṭha, everything retains its freshness and does not fade. Even flowers picked for garlands keep their original fragrance.
- Spiritual things are eternal and inexhaustible. The Lord’s ornaments bear spiritual jewels and pearls whose value cannot be measured materially.
Try this today
Spend a quiet minute recalling the Lord’s fresh garland and the humming bees.
Ask yourself
What does the unfading freshness of the Lord’s garland teach me about spiritual beauty?
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.