Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.18.13
Āśraya· The supreme shelterSpiritual Strength Comes From the Lord’s Shelter
“Just as aquatics always desire to remain in the vast mass of water, all conditioned living entities naturally desire to remain in the vast existence of the Supreme Lord. Therefore if someone very great by material calculations fails to take shelter of the Supreme Soul but instead becomes attached to material household life, his greatness is like that of a young, low-class couple. One who is too attached to material life loses all good spiritual qualities.”
What the purport teaches
- A crocodile is powerful in water but loses its strength on land. Similarly, a living entity manifests spiritual power by remaining in contact with Vāsudeva, the Personality of Godhead.
- Material education and greatness cannot replace shelter of the Supreme Soul. Attachment to materialistic family life leaves even a learned person without spiritual strength.
- Everyone should seek shelter of the Supreme Soul, the source of all living entities. Life should be directed toward spiritual cultivation and taking shelter of the Lord, rather than temporary material happiness.
Try this today
Set aside five minutes otherwise spent seeking material enjoyment to pray for shelter of the Supreme Lord.
Ask yourself
Am I seeking strength in temporary material greatness or in my relationship with the Lord?
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.