Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.12.16
Mukti· LiberationDevotional Service Purifies Our Motives
“Thus Dhruva Mahārāja, at the end, left his kingdom, which extended all over the earth and was bounded by the great oceans. He considered his body, his wives, his children, his friends, his army, his rich treasury, his very comfortable palaces and his many enjoyable pleasure-grounds to be creations of the illusory energy. Thus in due course of time he retired to the forest in the Himālayas known as Badarikāśrama.”
What the purport teaches
- Dhruva Mahārāja recognized his kingdom, possessions, and bodily pleasures as creations of the illusory energy. In due course, he left for Badarikāśrama.
- He had originally sought the Supreme Lord to gain his father's kingdom. By the Lord's grace, he became a great devotee with no interest in material enjoyment.
- Whatever one's initial motivation, becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious can lead to realization of the real truth. Even a little devotional service is better than complete absorption in fruitive activities.
Try this today
Offer a brief prayer to the Supreme Lord today, asking for the desire to serve rather than merely enjoy.
Ask yourself
Can I begin or continue devotional service honestly, even while my motives are still mixed?
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.