Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.21.1
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesNatural Gifts Can Spiritualize Our Surroundings
“The great sage Maitreya told Vidura: When the King entered his city, it was very beautifully decorated to receive him with pearls, flower garlands, beautiful cloth and golden gates, and the entire city was perfumed with highly fragrant incense.”
What the purport teaches
- Real opulence comes from natural gifts such as gold, pearls, fresh flowers, trees and silken cloth.
- Vedic civilization recommends decoration with these gifts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- Such opulence changes the condition of the mind and spiritualizes the atmosphere. King Pṛthu’s capital was decorated in this way.
Try this today
Place a fresh flower in a clean space today, remembering its source in the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Ask yourself
How can I appreciate natural beauty as a gift of the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
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.