Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.8.52
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionFreedom to Resume Pleasing Service
“The inhabitants of Yakṣaloka prayed: O controller of the twenty-four elements, we are considered the best servants of Your Lordship because of rendering services pleasing to You, yet we engaged as palanquin carriers by the order of Hiraṇyakaśipu, the son of Diti. O Lord in the form of Nṛsiṁhadeva, You know how this demon gave trouble to everyone, but now You have killed him, and his body is mixing with the five material elements.”
What the purport teaches
- The Supreme Lord controls the senses, material elements, sense objects, mind, intelligence, false ego and soul. The purport therefore explains His address as pañca-viṁśa, the twenty-fifth element.
- Although the Yakṣas rendered pleasing service to the Lord, Hiraṇyakaśipu forced them to carry his palanquin. His oppression troubled the entire universe.
- After his death, his body returned to earth, water, fire, air and sky. The Yakṣas resumed their original service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and gratefully offered prayers.
Try this today
Offer a short prayer thanking the Lord for the opportunity to serve Him today.
Ask yourself
Do I value the opportunity to render service that pleases 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.