Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.24.21
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesOur Attractions Reflect Nature’s Three Qualities
“In that great lake there were different types of lotus flowers. Some of them were bluish, and some of them were red. Some of them grew at night, some in the day and some, like the indīvara lotus flower, in the evening. Combined together, the lotus flowers filled the lake so full that the lake appeared to be a great mine of such flowers. Consequently, on the shores there were swans and cranes, cakravākas, kāraṇḍavas and other beautiful water birds standing about.”
What the purport teaches
- The lake appeared like a mine of lotus flowers, with different colors and different times of flowering. Their abundance made the calm lake attractive and beautiful.
- Swans, cakravākas and kāraṇḍavas enjoyed the clear water and lotus flowers. Their songs added to the beauty of the scene.
- People, birds, bees and trees display varieties according to the three qualities of material nature. Just as swans enjoy clear waters while crows enjoy filthy places, people have different attractions under goodness, passion and ignorance.
Try this today
Make one small area of your surroundings clean and peaceful today.
Ask yourself
What do the surroundings I enjoy suggest about the qualities influencing me?
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.