Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.7.2
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionCorrection Without Enmity
“Lord Śiva said: My dear father, Brahmā, I do not mind the offenses created by the demigods. Because these demigods are childish and less intelligent, I do not take a serious view of their offenses, and I have punished them only in order to right them.”
What the purport teaches
- Lord Śiva did not take the demigods’ offenses seriously. He regarded them as childish and punished them only to correct them.
- The purport distinguishes an enemy’s punishment from a father’s correction of his son. Lord Śiva’s chastisement is like a father’s.
- Lord Śiva is a Vaiṣṇava, a great devotee, and is not inimical to any living entity. He always wishes the welfare of all.
Try this today
Let one small offense pass today without holding resentment.
Ask yourself
When I correct someone, do I seek their welfare or merely express my anger?
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.