Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.9.62
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesNatural Wealth Should Support Self-Realization
“The palace of the King was surrounded by walls made of marble with many engravings made of valuable jewels like sapphires, which depicted beautiful women with shining jewel lamps in their hands.”
What the purport teaches
- The palace’s marble walls and jewel decorations depict a glorious ancient civilization. The purport places Dhruva Mahārāja in Satya-yuga and explains that human life spans decrease in successive ages.
- Real advancement depends not on industrial enterprises but on natural wealth and natural food. These are supplied by the Supreme Personality of Godhead so that people may save time for self-realization and success in human life.
- Despite his magnificent palace, King Uttānapāda would soon give up attachment to it. He would go to the forest for self-realization.
Try this today
Set aside five minutes from pursuing material comforts today to study this teaching on self-realization.
Ask yourself
Are your comforts saving time for self-realization, or increasing your attachment?
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.