Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.18.28
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionSee the Lord’s Direction Behind Nature
“O almighty Lord, at the end of the millennium this planet earth, which is the source of all kinds of herbs, drugs and trees, was inundated by water and drowned beneath the devastating waves. At that time, You protected me along with the earth and roamed the sea with great speed. O unborn one, You are the actual maintainer of the entire universal creation, and therefore You are the cause of all living entities. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.”
What the purport teaches
- When the earth was submerged beneath devastating waters, the Lord protected both the speaker and the earth. The prayer honors Him as the maintainer of the entire creation and the source of all living entities.
- Material nature works under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Its wonderful transformations, creation and annihilation occur under His supervision.
- Envy prevents a person from appreciating the Lord’s work. A humble devotee, even without education, recognizes His supreme hand behind nature’s activities.
Try this today
Observe a tree or plant today and offer a short prayer of gratitude to the Lord who directs and maintains nature.
Ask yourself
How does devotion change the way I look at the workings of nature?
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.