Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.8.12
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesLove Qualifies Us to See the Lord
“O most unfortunate Prahlāda, you have always described a supreme being other than me, a supreme being who is above everything, who is the controller of everyone, and who is all-pervading. But where is He? If He is everywhere, then why is He not present before me in this pillar?”
What the purport teaches
- The Lord is open to being seen by devotees, but nondevotees cannot see Him. Genuine love for Kṛṣṇa enables a devotee to see Him everywhere.
- Prahlāda Mahārāja saw that the Lord was present in the pillar to protect him. The Lord’s presence encouraged him not to fear his father’s threats.
- Hiraṇyakaśipu measured good fortune by possession of property. He did not understand that Prahlāda was most fortunate because the Supreme Personality of Godhead protected him.
Try this today
Take one minute today to pray for genuine love for Kṛṣṇa rather than material good fortune.
Ask yourself
Do I measure good fortune by possessions or by my relationship with 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.