Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.17.32
Āśraya· The supreme shelterOne Supreme Lord Acts Through Many Energies
“My dear Lord, although You are one, by Your inconceivable potencies You have expanded Yourself in many forms. Through the agency of Brahmā, You have created this universe. You are therefore directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those who are not sufficiently experienced cannot understand Your transcendental activities because these persons are covered by Your illusory energy.”
What the purport teaches
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead is one, yet He acts through material, spiritual, marginal and other energies. Living entities belong to His marginal energy.
- Brahmā is a living entity specially empowered to create the universe. He is an instrument; the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate creator.
- The Lord’s actions may appear contradictory, but a definite plan lies behind them. Understanding His supreme plan requires experience and His special grace.
Try this today
Reread the translation slowly, then offer a brief prayer for the grace to understand the Lord’s activities.
Ask yourself
Can I acknowledge the limits of my understanding when the Lord’s actions seem contradictory?
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.