Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.30.1
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesThe Highest Perfection Is Returning to Godhead
“Vidura inquired from Maitreya: O brāhmaṇa, you formerly spoke about the sons of Prācīnabarhi and informed me that they satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead by chanting a song composed by Lord Śiva. What did they achieve in this way?”
What the purport teaches
- Vidura wanted to know what the sons of Prācīnabarhi achieved by satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His inquiry concerns success in spiritual life.
- The highest perfection is to return home, back to Godhead. Those who attain Kṛṣṇa do not return to this temporary world of misery and repeated birth.
- By Lord Śiva’s grace, the Pracetās learned to satisfy the Lord by chanting his songs. They attained perfection and returned to Godhead after enjoying material facilities.
Try this today
Write one sentence describing spiritual success as attaining Kṛṣṇa rather than gaining temporary comforts.
Ask yourself
How does returning to Godhead change my understanding of success?
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.