Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.1.9
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesReceive Honored Persons With Respect
“Lord Brahmā, the father of Nārada Muni, is the supreme person within this universe. As soon as Nārada saw the great swan, he could understand that Lord Brahmā had arrived. Therefore he immediately stood up, along with Svāyambhuva Manu and his son Priyavrata, whom Nārada was instructing. Then they folded their hands and began to worship Lord Brahmā with great respect.”
What the purport teaches
- Nārada recognized his father, Lord Brahmā, by the great swan that carried him. Brahmā is also known as Hiraṇyagarbha.
- Nārada immediately stood up to receive Brahmā. Svāyambhuva Manu and Priyavrata, whom Nārada was instructing, stood with him.
- They folded their hands and worshiped Brahmā with great respect. Their welcome expressed respect through both attention and action.
Try this today
When greeting a respected elder or teacher today, pause what you are doing and offer an attentive, respectful welcome.
Ask yourself
How readily do I express respect through my actions?
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.