Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.15.22
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesLet Real Qualities Justify Praise
“King Pṛthu said: O gentle sūta, māgadha and other devotee offering prayers, the qualities of which you have spoken are not distinct in me. Why then should you praise me for all these qualities when I do not shelter these features? I do not wish for these words meant for me to go in vain, but it is better that they be offered to someone else.”
What the purport teaches
- Mahārāja Pṛthu was a śaktyāveśa incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The praises described his godly qualities, but those qualities were not yet manifest.
- He humbly declined glorification for qualities he had not yet displayed. He wanted his real characteristics to justify the words of praise.
- One should not accept someone as an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead without godly qualities. Pṛthu warned against offering such prayers to an unfit pretender.
Try this today
When praising someone today, name one good quality you have actually observed.
Ask yourself
How can Pṛthu’s humility help me respond to praise that goes beyond my actual qualities?
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.