Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.7.31
Āśraya· The supreme shelterThe Lord Reveals Himself Through Devotional Service
“Lord Brahmā said: My dear Lord, Your personality and eternal form cannot be understood by any person who is trying to know You through the different processes of acquiring knowledge. Your position is always transcendental to the material creation, whereas the empiric attempt to understand You is material, as are its objectives and instruments.”
What the purport teaches
- The Lord’s eternal form, qualities and activities cannot be understood by material senses or speculation. He is beyond the material creation.
- Only by devotional service can one understand the transcendental form of the Lord. Through loving service, devotees please Him, and He reveals Himself to them.
- Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not an ordinary person. A service attitude helps us understand His transcendental position.
Try this today
Before studying today, offer a brief prayer asking to understand Kṛṣṇa with a sincere desire to serve Him.
Ask yourself
Am I approaching the Lord with a desire to serve, or only a desire to understand through speculation?
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.