Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.7.13
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesWorshiping Lord Nārāyaṇa Within the Sun
“Mahārāja Bharata appeared very beautiful. He had a wealth of curly hair on his head, which was wet from bathing three times daily. He dressed in a deerskin. He worshiped Lord Nārāyaṇa, whose body was composed of golden effulgence and who resided within the sun. Mahārāja Bharata worshiped Lord Nārāyaṇa by chanting the hymns given in the Ṛg Veda, and he recited the following verse as the sun rose.”
What the purport teaches
- Mahārāja Bharata bathed three times daily and dressed in a deerskin. His curly hair was wet from bathing, and he appeared very beautiful.
- The predominating Deity within the sun is Hiraṇmaya, Lord Nārāyaṇa. He is situated there with a golden hue.
- Bharata worshiped Lord Nārāyaṇa by chanting hymns from the Ṛg Veda as the sun rose. The purport explains that Nārāyaṇa is also worshiped by the Gāyatrī mantra.
Try this today
Take a quiet moment today to remember Lord Nārāyaṇa, whose golden form resides within the sun.
Ask yourself
What inspires me about Bharata’s regular worship of Lord Nārāyaṇa?
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.