Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.1.38
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesThe Lord’s Shelter Is Beyond Material Modes
“Thus checked by the doorkeepers Jaya and Vijaya, Sanandana and the other great sages very angrily cursed them. “You two foolish doorkeepers,” they said. “Being agitated by the material qualities of passion and ignorance, you are unfit to live at the shelter of Madhudviṣa’s lotus feet, which are free from such modes. It would be better for you to go immediately to the material world and take your birth in a family of most sinful asuras.””
What the purport teaches
- After Jaya and Vijaya stopped them, Sanandana and the other sages became very angry and cursed the doorkeepers.
- The sages described Madhudviṣa’s lotus feet as free from passion and ignorance. They declared the doorkeepers unfit for that shelter because of their agitation by those qualities.
- The sages told the doorkeepers to go immediately to the material world. Their curse specified birth in a family of most sinful asuras.
Try this today
Pause during one moment of agitation today and offer a brief prayer for shelter at the Lord’s lotus feet.
Ask yourself
How does the freedom from passion and ignorance at the Lord’s lotus feet deepen my desire for His shelter?
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.