Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.9.3
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesLove Expressed Through Awe and Respect
“When Dhruva Mahārāja saw his Lord just in front of him, he was greatly agitated and offered Him obeisances and respect. He fell flat before Him like a rod and became absorbed in love of Godhead. Dhruva Mahārāja, in ecstasy, looked upon the Lord as if he were drinking the Lord with his eyes, kissing the lotus feet of the Lord with his mouth, and embracing the Lord with his arms.”
What the purport teaches
- Seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face, Dhruva Mahārāja became deeply moved with awe and respect. He fell flat before the Lord like a rod.
- His love was so intense that he appeared to drink in the Lord with his eyes, kiss His lotus feet and embrace Him.
- These bodily expressions indicated that Dhruva Mahārāja had developed the eight kinds of transcendental ecstasy upon seeing the Lord.
Try this today
Offer one deliberate, respectful bow to the Lord, remembering Dhruva Mahārāja’s loving reverence.
Ask yourself
How can you express respect for the Lord while nurturing your desire to love Him?
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.