Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.9.45
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesDevotion Frees the Heart from Animosity
“Then Dhruva Mahārāja, the foremost of all nobles, first of all offered his obeisances at the feet of his father and was honored by his father with various questions. He then bowed his head at the feet of his two mothers.”
What the purport teaches
- Dhruva Mahārāja offered obeisances to his father and both mothers, including the stepmother whose insults had caused him to leave home.
- Having achieved self-realization and seen the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Dhruva was freed from material desire. A pure devotee has no animosity toward anyone.
- Lord Caitanya teaches that one must be humbler than the grass and more tolerant than the tree to execute devotional service. Such devotion makes a person truly noble.
Try this today
In one difficult interaction today, offer a respectful response rather than returning an insult.
Ask yourself
How could humility help you respond to someone who has hurt your feelings?
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.