Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.27.15
Nirodha· Winding upBodily Energy Cannot Remain Strong Forever
“When King Gandharva-rāja [Caṇḍavega] and his followers began to plunder the city of Purañjana, a snake with five hoods began to defend the city.”
What the purport teaches
- The five-hooded snake defends Purañjana's city when Caṇḍavega and his followers attack. The purport explains this serpent in terms of bodily life air and energy.
- The five kinds of air are prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna and samāna. Even when the body is inactive in sleep, the life air remains active.
- The purport describes bodily energy as becoming fatigued after fifty years. Continuing to work for sense gratification then requires increasing strain.
Try this today
Take one minute today to acknowledge that your bodily strength is limited rather than assuming it will last indefinitely.
Ask yourself
Do I treat my present bodily energy as though it will always remain unchanged?
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.