Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.21.12
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyDevotional Identity Transcends Bodily Labels
“Mahārāja Pṛthu was an unrivaled king and possessed the scepter for ruling all the seven islands on the surface of the globe. No one could disobey his irrevocable orders but the saintly persons, the brāhmaṇas and the descendants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead [the Vaiṣṇavas].”
What the purport teaches
- Mahārāja Pṛthu ruled all seven islands, and his orders could not be disobeyed. Yet he did not issue orders to control the brāhmaṇas or Vaiṣṇavas.
- Every living entity is a part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Under material influence, one forgets this relationship and identifies with the body.
- In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one belongs to Acyuta-gotra, beyond caste, creed, color and nationality. A Vaiṣṇava is one who serves the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Try this today
When meeting someone today, pause to remember that this living entity is a part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Ask yourself
Do I let bodily labels obscure my understanding of someone’s relationship with the Supreme Lord?
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.