Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.10.14
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesContinue Devotional Service with Humility
“Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, when King Rahūgaṇa chastised the exalted devotee Jaḍa Bharata with harsh words, that peaceful, saintly person tolerated it all and replied properly. Nescience is due to the bodily conception, and Jaḍa Bharata was not affected by this false conception. Out of his natural humility, he never considered himself a great devotee, and he agreed to suffer the results of his past karma. Like an ordinary man, he thought that by carrying the palanquin he was destroying the reactions of his past misdeeds. Thinking in this way, he began to carry the palanquin as before.”
What the purport teaches
- An exalted devotee never considers himself a great liberated person. He remains a humble servant of the Lord, as Jaḍa Bharata did while tolerating harsh words.
- In adverse conditions, the devotee accepts the results of past actions and sees the Lord’s mercy. He does not blame the Lord for his distress.
- Whatever the circumstances, the devotee continues his duty in devotional service. Such a person is assured of returning home, back to Godhead.
Try this today
Complete one small duty in devotional service today, even if an inconvenience arises.
Ask yourself
Can I continue serving the Lord without blaming Him when circumstances are difficult?
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.