Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.9.23
Nirodha· Winding upMaterial Power Cannot Endure
“My dear Lord, people in general want to be elevated to the higher planetary systems for a long duration of life, opulence and enjoyment, but I have seen all of these through the activities of my father. When my father was angry and he laughed sarcastically at the demigods, they were immediately vanquished simply by seeing the movements of his eyebrows. Yet my father, who was so powerful, has now been vanquished by You within a moment.”
What the purport teaches
- Practical experience shows that material wealth, longevity and influence cannot last. No one can maintain the body or material achievements forever.
- Prahlāda saw that his powerful father could overcome the demigods yet was himself vanquished by the Lord in a moment. He therefore gave no lasting importance to material greatness.
- No one is greater than the Supreme Personality of Godhead. An intelligent person accepts His call to surrender and seeks freedom from repeated birth, death, old age and disease.
Try this today
Reflect on one achievement you value, acknowledge that it cannot last forever, and pray for shelter in the Lord.
Ask yourself
Which temporary achievement am I treating as a lasting source of security?
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.