Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.7.32
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionAccept the Lord’s Wonderful Form and Activities
“King Indra said: My dear Lord, Your transcendental form with eight hands and weapons in each of them appears for the welfare of the entire universe, and it is very pleasing to the mind and eyes. In such a form, Your Lordship is always prepared to punish the demons, who are envious of Your devotees.”
What the purport teaches
- Lord Viṣṇu’s eight-handed appearance is as real as His four-handed form. His transcendental form brings pleasure and serves the welfare of the universe.
- Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lifting of Govardhana Hill shows His uncommon power. We should not judge what the Lord can do by the limits of our own abilities.
- The Lord’s activities, pastimes and uncommon features should be accepted as they are, rather than treated as allegories. In this way, even in our present condition, we can understand Him.
Try this today
Reread Indra’s prayer and spend a minute appreciating the Lord’s wonderful form and protection of His devotees.
Ask yourself
Do I sometimes limit my understanding of the Lord by comparing His abilities with my own?
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.