Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.5.1
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesDevotional Service Brings Perfection and Gentleness
“Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Vidura, the best amongst the Kuru dynasty, who was perfect in devotional service to the Lord, thus reached the source of the celestial Ganges river [Hardwar], where Maitreya, the great, fathomless learned sage of the world, was seated. Vidura, who was perfect in gentleness and satisfied in transcendence, inquired from him.”
What the purport teaches
- Vidura was already perfect through his unalloyed devotion to the infallible Lord. Absorption in devotional service frees one from conditioned life and brings admirable qualities.
- The Lord and the living entities are qualitatively the same, but the Lord is quantitatively much greater. He never falls under illusion, whereas living entities are prone to do so.
- Although a perfect devotee, Vidura approached the learned sage Maitreya for inquiry. His devotion was accompanied by gentleness and satisfaction in transcendence.
Try this today
Write one sincere question about devotional service, phrasing it gently and respectfully.
Ask yourself
How can I bring more gentleness to the way I ask spiritual questions?
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.