Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.7.15
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesApproach the Spiritual Master Without Duplicity
“King Indra said: Therefore with great frankness and without duplicity I shall now bow my head at the lotus feet of Bṛhaspati, the spiritual master of the demigods. Because he is in the mode of goodness, he is fully aware of all knowledge and is the best of the brāhmaṇas. Now I shall touch his lotus feet and offer my obeisances unto him to try to satisfy him.”
What the purport teaches
- Indra realized that he had not been a sincere disciple. He resolved to approach Bṛhaspati without duplicity and bow his head at his lotus feet.
- By the spiritual master’s mercy one receives Kṛṣṇa’s mercy; without that grace, one cannot advance. Familiarity should never lead to contempt for the ācārya.
- Kṛṣṇa teaches that one should approach a spiritual master with submission, sincere inquiry, and service. The self-realized spiritual master can impart knowledge because he has seen the truth.
Try this today
Write one sincere, submissive question you would like to ask the spiritual master.
Ask yourself
Is there any difference between the respect I show outwardly and the sincerity I feel within?
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.