Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.20.40
Sthāna· The universe in orderThe Supreme Lord Empowers Universal Maintenance
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master of all transcendental opulences and the master of the spiritual sky. He is the Supreme Person, Bhagavān, the Supersoul of everyone. The demigods, led by Indra, the King of heaven, are entrusted with seeing to the affairs of the material world. To benefit all living beings in all the varied planets and to increase the power of those elephants and of the demigods, the Lord manifests Himself on top of that mountain in a spiritual body, uncontaminated by the modes of material nature. Surrounded by His personal expansions and assistants like Viṣvaksena, He exhibits all His perfect opulences, such as religion and knowledge, and His mystic powers such as aṇimā, laghimā and mahimā. He is beautifully situated, and He is decorated by the different weapons in His four hands.”
What the purport teaches
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master of transcendental opulences and the spiritual sky. He is Bhagavān, the Supersoul of everyone.
- The Lord manifests on the mountain to benefit all living beings and increase the power of the elephants and demigods. His spiritual body is uncontaminated by the modes of material nature.
- Surrounded by personal expansions and assistants like Viṣvaksena, He displays perfect opulences and mystic powers. He is beautifully situated with different weapons in His four hands.
Try this today
Offer a brief prayer of appreciation for the Lord’s care for all living beings.
Ask yourself
What does the Lord’s strengthening of others reveal about His care for living beings?
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.