Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.17.33
Āśraya· The supreme shelterThe Lord Is Everyone’s Auspicious Friend
“He holds no one as very dear and no one as inimical. He has no one for His own relative, and no one is alien to Him. He is actually the soul of the soul of all living entities. Thus He is the auspicious friend of all living beings and is very near and dear to all of them.”
What the purport teaches
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His second feature, is the Supersoul of all living entities. As the self is dear, the Superself is still more dear.
- The Lord is equal to everyone, without partiality or enmity. Apparent relationships of favoritism or hostility arise through the illusory energy.
- In the pure condition, the living entity is always near and dear to the Lord. The Lord is likewise dear to the living entity.
Try this today
When you meet someone today, pause to remember that the Lord is also their auspicious friend.
Ask yourself
How might remembering the Lord as everyone’s friend change the way you regard others?
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.