Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.8.42
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionReceive Mantras Through an Authorized Guru
“King Indra, who performed one hundred sacrifices, received this prayer of protection from Viśvarūpa. After conquering the demons, he enjoyed all the opulences of the three worlds.”
What the purport teaches
- The mystical mantric armor received from Viśvarūpa acted powerfully. Indra conquered the demons and enjoyed the opulence of the three worlds without impediments.
- Mantras must be received from a bona fide spiritual master to be fruitful. The disciple should surrender, inquire submissively, render service, and satisfy the guru.
- The purport names four bona fide disciplic successions: Brahma, Rudra, Śrī and Kumāra. Receiving mantras through one of these sampradāyas is necessary for successful advancement in spiritual life.
Try this today
Write one sincere question about spiritual life that you would like to ask a bona fide spiritual master.
Ask yourself
How can you approach spiritual learning with more submissive inquiry and willingness to serve?
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.