Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.24.33
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesPray to Remain Fixed in Devotional Service
“Lord Śiva addressed the Supreme Personality of Godhead with the following prayer: O Supreme Personality of Godhead, all glories unto You. You are the most exalted of all self-realized souls. Since You are always auspicious for the self-realized, I wish that You be auspicious for me. You are worshipable by virtue of the all-perfect instructions You give. You are the Supersoul; therefore I offer my obeisances unto You as the supreme living being.”
What the purport teaches
- Lord Śiva begins by glorifying the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the chief of all living beings. True self-realization includes knowing the Lord’s supreme position and remembering one’s service to Him.
- The all-perfect Lord resides in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul. He gives pure devotees instructions so they can advance and remain fixed in devotional service.
- Lord Śiva seeks the Lord’s mercy to remain His devotee eternally, not to merge into His existence. All living entities, including Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā, are servants of the Supreme Lord.
Try this today
Begin a short prayer with “All glories unto You, my Lord,” and ask for mercy to remain fixed in devotional service.
Ask yourself
Is my prayer aimed at remaining steady in service to 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.