Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.5.4
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesMaterial Qualities Remain in Conflict
“When that gigantic demon asked with folded hands, “What shall I do, my lord?” Lord Śiva, who is known as Bhūtanātha, directly ordered, “Because you are born from my body, you are the chief of all my associates. Therefore, kill Dakṣa and his soldiers at the sacrifice.””
What the purport teaches
- Lord Śiva created Vīrabhadra to retaliate after Bhṛgu Muni’s Ṛbhu demigods drove away his soldiers. He appointed Vīrabhadra chief of his associates and ordered him to kill Dakṣa and his soldiers.
- The purport describes this as competition between brahminical strength and Lord Śiva’s strength. Such struggles between the modes of goodness and ignorance are part of material existence.
- Even material goodness can be mixed with or attacked by passion and ignorance. Pure goodness, or śuddha-sattva, is the basic principle of the spiritual world.
Try this today
Examine one intention today and note whether anger or rivalry has become mixed with it.
Ask yourself
Where do I notice that a seemingly good intention becomes mixed with passion or ignorance?
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.