Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.22.38
Āśraya· The supreme shelterSurrender to the Eternally Liberated Supersoul
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead manifests Himself as one with the cause and effect within this body, but one who has transcended the illusory energy by deliberate consideration, which clears the misconception of a snake for a rope, can understand that the Paramātmā is eternally transcendental to the material creation and situated in pure internal energy. Thus the Lord is transcendental to all material contamination. Unto Him only must one surrender.”
What the purport teaches
- Paramātmā, the Supersoul, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is eternally liberated. Although He lives within the body beside the individual soul, He remains above the illusory energy.
- The Lord and His energies are simultaneously one and different. The individual soul can come under material influence, but the Lord is always transcendental to it and superior to the individual soul.
- Surrender to the Supersoul is the process of devotional service. Devotional service is more important than mental speculation for understanding the Absolute Truth.
Try this today
Pause today and offer a brief prayer of surrender to the Supreme Lord, asking to serve Him rather than rely only on speculation.
Ask yourself
How does recognizing the Lord's superiority help me approach Him with a desire to serve?
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.