Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.7.16
Mukti· LiberationDo Not Seek the Lord’s Position
“O learned sage, your explanations are very good, as they should be. Disturbances to the conditioned soul have no other basis than the movement of the external energy of the Lord.”
What the purport teaches
- The desire to become one with the Lord in every respect is the root cause of material existence. The living entity falsely attempts to occupy the Lord’s predominating position.
- The Lord controls His external energy, māyā. The conditioned living entity, however, is controlled by that energy.
- Material bondage arises from this false attempt to become the supreme controller. Trying to become one with the Lord is described as māyā’s last snare.
Try this today
Notice one desire to control today and remind yourself that the Lord controls māyā, while you do not occupy His position.
Ask yourself
Where am I trying to claim a controlling position that does not belong to me?
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.