Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.19.10
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesDevotional Service Is Life’s Ultimate Goal
“In his own book, known as Nārada Pañcarātra, Bhagavān Nārada has very vividly described how to work to achieve the ultimate goal of life — devotion — through knowledge and through execution of the mystic yoga system. He has also described the glories of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The great sage Nārada instructed the tenets of this transcendental literature to Sāvarṇi Manu in order to teach those inhabitants of Bhārata-varṣa who strictly follow the principles of varṇāśrama-dharma how to achieve the devotional service of the Lord. Thus Nārada Muni, along with the other inhabitants of Bhārata-varṣa, always engages in the service of Nara-Nārāyaṇa, and he chants as follows.”
What the purport teaches
- Nārada Pañcarātra describes how knowledge and mystic yoga lead to the ultimate goal of life: devotion. Nārada teaches this goal and continually serves Nara-Nārāyaṇa.
- The purport urges people to use the spiritual opportunity offered by Bhārata-varṣa. It emphasizes following varṇāśrama-dharma, with its four social orders and four orders of spiritual life.
- The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for all people of the world, not only the inhabitants of Bhārata-varṣa. It follows pañcarātrika-vidhi and bhāgavata-vidhi together so that people can make their lives successful.
Try this today
Before studying today, state your purpose simply: “I want this learning to help me serve the Lord.”
Ask yourself
Is my spiritual learning helping me move toward devotional service?
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.