Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.5.21
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesRespect Is Met With Affection
“Nārada Muni continued: My dear King Yudhiṣṭhira, Hiraṇyakaśipu seated Prahlāda Mahārāja on his lap and began smelling his head. With affectionate tears gliding down from his eyes and moistening the child’s smiling face, he spoke to his son as follows.”
What the purport teaches
- Hiraṇyakaśipu seated Prahlāda Mahārāja on his lap and smelled his head.
- The purport explains that a father or spiritual master responds by smelling the head when a child or disciple falls at his feet.
- Hiraṇyakaśipu’s affectionate tears moistened Prahlāda’s smiling face. In this tender moment, he began speaking to his son.
Try this today
When someone shows you respect today, respond with a warm word of appreciation.
Ask yourself
How can I receive another person’s respect with genuine warmth?
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.