Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.12.4
Mukti· LiberationTolerate Temporary Pains and Pleasures
“O master of yogic power, you said that fatigue resulting from moving the body here and there is appreciated by direct perception but actually there is no fatigue. It simply exists as a matter of formality. By such inquiries and answers, no one can come to the conclusion of the Absolute Truth. Because of your presentation of this statement, my mind is a little disturbed.”
What the purport teaches
- Rahūgaṇa feels disturbed because he cannot reconcile directly perceived fatigue with Jaḍa Bharata’s explanation.
- Formal questions and answers about the bodily conception do not constitute knowledge of the Absolute Truth. That knowledge is different from understanding bodily pains and pleasures.
- Lord Kṛṣṇa teaches that bodily pains and pleasures are temporary and come and go. One should tolerate them and continue with spiritual realization.
Try this today
When a minor discomfort arises today, remember that it will pass and calmly continue your spiritual study.
Ask yourself
How much do passing bodily pleasures and discomforts distract me from spiritual realization?
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.