Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.4.46
Āśraya· The supreme shelterRecognize the Lord Through His Energies
“My dear brāhmaṇa, austerity in the form of meditation is My heart, Vedic knowledge in the form of hymns and mantras constitutes My body, and spiritual activities and ecstatic emotions are My actual form. The ritualistic ceremonies and sacrifices, when properly conducted, are the various limbs of My body, the unseen good fortune proceeding from pious or spiritual activities constitutes My mind, and the demigods who execute My orders in various departments are My life and soul.”
What the purport teaches
- The Lord describes austerity, Vedic knowledge and spiritual activities as aspects of His body. This description offers a way to recognize His impersonal feature.
- Tapasya, or denial of material activities, is the first principle of spiritual life. Spiritual activities include studying Vedic knowledge, meditating upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.
- Material nature works under the Supreme Lord’s direction. The demigods deserve respect as those who carry out His orders in the various departments of the world.
Try this today
Set aside a few minutes today to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra attentively.
Ask yourself
How can my spiritual practice help me recognize the Lord’s presence and direction?
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.