Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.23.4
Sthāna· The universe in orderMeditating on the Lord’s Gigantic Form
“This great machine, consisting of the stars and planets, resembles the form of a śiśumāra [dolphin] in the water. It is sometimes considered an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva. Great yogīs meditate upon Vāsudeva in this form because it is actually visible.”
What the purport teaches
- The great arrangement of stars and planets resembles a śiśumāra, or dolphin, in water. It is sometimes considered an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva.
- Yogīs whose minds cannot accommodate the Lord’s form prefer to visualize something very great. They contemplate the śiśumāra as though it were swimming in the sky.
- Their meditation is upon the virāṭ-rūpa, the gigantic form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The visible planetary arrangement helps them focus upon Vāsudeva.
Try this today
Spend a minute contemplating the stars and planets described here as the Lord’s gigantic form.
Ask yourself
How can contemplating the vast planetary arrangement help me direct my attention toward 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.