Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.12.26-28
Mukti· LiberationReturn the Senses to Their Presiding Deities
“Thereafter, the object of speech, along with the sense of speech [the tongue], should be bestowed upon fire. Craftsmanship and the two hands should be given to the demigod Indra. The power of movement and the legs should be given to Lord Viṣṇu. Sensual pleasure, along with the genitals, should be bestowed upon Prajāpati. The rectum, with the power of evacuation, should be bestowed, in its proper place, unto Mṛtyu. The aural instrument, along with sound vibration, should be given to the deities presiding over the directions. The instrument of touch, along with the sense objects of touch, should be given to Vāyu. Form, with the power of sight, should be bestowed upon the sun. The tongue, along with the demigod Varuṇa, should be bestowed upon water, and the power of smell, along with the two Aśvinī-kumāra demigods, should be bestowed upon the earth.”
What the purport teaches
- Speech and its object should be bestowed upon fire, craftsmanship and the hands upon Indra, and movement and the legs upon Lord Viṣṇu.
- Sensual pleasure and the genitals should be bestowed upon Prajāpati, and evacuation and the rectum upon Mṛtyu. Hearing and sound should be given to the deities of the directions, and touch to Vāyu.
- Form and sight should be bestowed upon the sun. The tongue with Varuṇa should be bestowed upon water, and smell with the Aśvinī-kumāra demigods upon earth.
Try this today
When you walk today, recall the verse's connection between the legs, the power of movement and Lord Viṣṇu.
Ask yourself
How does this account change the way I think about my bodily abilities?
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.