Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.24.52
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesBegin With the Lord’s Lotus Feet
“My dear Lord, Your two lotus feet are so beautiful that they appear like two blossoming petals of the lotus flower which grows during the autumn season. Indeed, the nails of Your lotus feet emanate such a great effulgence that they immediately dissipate all the darkness in the heart of a conditioned soul. My dear Lord, kindly show me that form of Yours which always dissipates all kinds of darkness in the heart of a devotee. My dear Lord, You are the supreme spiritual master of everyone; therefore all conditioned souls covered with the darkness of ignorance can be enlightened by You as the spiritual master.”
What the purport teaches
- Meditation on the Lord’s form begins with His lotus feet. Similarly, serious study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins with the First and Second cantos, which represent His two lotus feet.
- The effulgence of the Lord’s lotus feet removes darkness, doubts and fears from the heart. By practicing bhagavad-bhakti-yoga, one becomes fearless and joyful, able to understand the science of God.
- The Lord is the supreme spiritual master and enlightens the devotee from within; His bona fide representative enlightens from without. Remembering the Lord’s lotus feet and following the spiritual master’s advice enable spiritual progress.
Try this today
Spend one minute remembering the Lord’s bright lotus feet and praying for the darkness in your heart to be removed.
Ask yourself
How could remembering the Lord’s lotus feet help you respond to a fear you carry?
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.