Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.17.3
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesAsk Clear Questions to Understand
“Vidura inquired from the great sage Maitreya: My dear brāhmaṇa, since mother earth can appear in different shapes, why did she take the shape of a cow? And when King Pṛthu milked her, who became the calf, and what was the milking pot?”
What the purport teaches
- Vidura asked Maitreya why mother earth, who can take different shapes, appeared as a cow.
- He wanted to know who became the calf when King Pṛthu milked her.
- He also asked what served as the milking pot, seeking to understand the details of the account.
Try this today
Write down one specific question about mother earth’s appearance as a cow.
Ask yourself
What detail in this account would I like to understand more clearly?
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.