Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.1.11
Sthāna· The universe in orderHear the Supreme Lord’s Direction Without Envy
“Lord Brahmā, the supreme person within this universe, said: My dear Priyavrata, kindly hear attentively what I shall say to you. Do not be jealous of the Supreme Lord, who is beyond our experimental measurements. All of us, including Lord Śiva, your father and the great sage Mahārṣi Nārada, must carry out the order of the Supreme. We cannot deviate from His order.”
What the purport teaches
- Brahmā asked Priyavrata to listen attentively and without envy. Even great authorities such as Brahmā, Śiva, Manu and Nārada cannot disobey the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- Brahmā did not come on a whim; he was following the Supreme Lord’s direction. The Lord is beyond material measurement, and His power, glory and purity never diminish.
- The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart. As devotional service purifies a person, that person comes into closer contact with Him; He gives His loving devotees the understanding by which they can approach Him.
Try this today
Read Brahmā’s request to listen once slowly, then spend one quiet minute considering it without arguing against it.
Ask yourself
What helps me hear spiritual instruction attentively rather than defensively?
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.