Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.29.56
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesReal Knowledge Leads to Devotional Service
“The King replied: My dear brāhmaṇa, whatever you have said I have heard with great attention and, considering all of it, have come to the conclusion that the ācāryas [teachers] who engaged me in fruitive activity did not know this confidential knowledge. If they were aware of it, why did they not explain it to me?”
What the purport teaches
- The King listened attentively and considered Nārada’s instructions. He questioned why his earlier teachers had engaged him in fruitive activities without explaining the real goal of life.
- Real knowledge means searching out Kṛṣṇa, the origin of everything. All Vedic knowledge is meant for understanding Him.
- The real goal of life is devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ritualistic ceremonies without effective instruction about this goal keep people in ignorance.
Try this today
Before one spiritual activity today, pause and consciously make devotional service to Kṛṣṇa your purpose.
Ask yourself
How is my spiritual learning helping me move toward devotional service to Kṛṣṇa?
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.