Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.9.19
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionThe Lord Is Our Ultimate Shelter
“My Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, O Supreme, because of a bodily conception of life, embodied souls neglected and not cared for by You cannot do anything for their betterment. Whatever remedies they accept, although perhaps temporarily beneficial, are certainly impermanent. For example, a father and mother cannot protect their child, a physician and medicine cannot relieve a suffering patient, and a boat on the ocean cannot protect a drowning man.”
What the purport teaches
- Parents, medicine and other protective measures may help temporarily, but none can guarantee permanent protection. Birth, death, old age and disease cannot be conquered by material arrangements.
- One must accept remedial measures as a matter of routine duty while depending fully on the Lord’s causeless mercy. Taking shelter of Him does not mean neglecting practical care.
- Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, assures that His devotee never perishes. Awakening Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the remedy for a life without lasting peace and happiness.
Try this today
While taking one ordinary measure to care for yourself or someone else today, offer a brief prayer for the Lord’s mercy.
Ask yourself
How can I fulfill my practical duties while remembering my dependence on the Lord’s mercy?
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.