Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.4.17
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesThe Lord’s Perfect Knowledge Never Fails
“O my Lord, Your eternal Self is never divided by the influence of time, and there is no limitation to Your perfect knowledge. Thus You were sufficiently able to consult with Yourself, yet You called upon me for consultation, as if bewildered, although You are never bewildered. And this act of Yours bewilders me.”
What the purport teaches
- The Lord is unhampered by eternal time, and nothing is hidden from Him. His knowledge is eternally complete.
- Although Kṛṣṇa needed no enlightenment, He called Uddhava for consultation. This appears astonishing, but there is no actual contradiction in the Lord’s activities.
- Uddhava was not actually bewildered; the discussion was meant for Maitreya’s benefit. The purport advises accepting these activities as they are rather than attempting to explain away their apparent contradictions.
Try this today
Reread the translation and identify the distinction between the Lord appearing bewildered and His never actually being bewildered.
Ask yourself
How can I respect the Lord’s perfect knowledge when His actions seem puzzling?
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.