Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.11.48
Mukti· LiberationServe Kṛṣṇa Without Attachment to Victory
“Bali Mahārāja was very experienced in universal affairs. When he regained his senses and memory by the grace of Śukrācārya, he could understand everything that had happened. Therefore, although he had been defeated, he did not lament.”
What the purport teaches
- By the grace of Śukrācārya, Bali Mahārāja regained his senses and memory and understood what had happened. Although defeated, he did not lament.
- As an experienced devotee, he knew that nothing can happen without the sanction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He therefore accepted his defeat without lamentation.
- Everyone in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should perform duty as ordered by Kṛṣṇa or His representative, the spiritual master, without regard for victory or defeat. First-class devotional service means always abiding by the orders and will of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Try this today
Carry out one devotional duty today with care, focusing on following Kṛṣṇa’s guidance rather than measuring your success.
Ask yourself
How could Bali Mahārāja’s acceptance of defeat help you remain steady in devotional service?
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.