Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.9.37
Āśraya· The supreme shelterOne Lord, Different Ways of Seeing
“A rope causes fear for a bewildered person who considers it a snake, but not for a person with proper intelligence who knows it to be only a rope. Similarly, You, as the Supersoul in everyone’s heart, inspire fear or fearlessness according to one’s intelligence, but in You there is no duality.”
What the purport teaches
- A rope may be mistaken for a snake, but the mistake does not change the rope. Similarly, differing views of the Lord do not create duality in Him.
- The Lord rewards each person according to their surrender. Devotees find bliss in Him, while nondevotees with limited knowledge see Him as a source of fear.
- Prahlāda Mahārāja saw Nṛsiṁhadeva as the supreme solace, while his father saw Him as ultimate death. Sober devotees find no contradictions in the Supreme Lord.
Try this today
Spend a minute reflecting on the rope-and-snake example and how mistaken understanding can produce fear.
Ask yourself
How might my understanding and willingness to surrender shape the way I see the Lord?
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.