Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.8.33 · one of the 108 chosen verses
Mukti· LiberationAccept Circumstances and Surrender to the Lord
“One should try to keep himself satisfied in any condition of life — whether distress or happiness — which is offered by the supreme will. A person who endures in this way is able to cross over the darkness of nescience very easily.”
What the purport teaches
- Activities other than devotional service bring the happiness and distress of material existence.
- Material happiness diminishes the results of pious activities, while suffering diminishes the results of impious activities. We should not become attached to either condition.
- Whatever position comes by the Lord's will, we should accept it. Surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead frees us from the clutches of material existence.
Try this today
When a pleasant or unpleasant circumstance arises today, pause and offer a brief prayer of surrender to the Lord.
Ask yourself
How can I remain steady in devotional service amid today's happiness or distress?
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.