Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.11.6
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesIllusory Skill Is Not Sound Knowledge
“Today, with my thunderbolt, which has hundreds of sharp edges, I, the same powerful person, shall sever your head from your body. Although you can produce so much jugglery through illusion, you are endowed with a poor fund of knowledge. Now, try to exist on this battlefield with your relatives and friends.”
What the purport teaches
- Indra threatened to sever Bali Mahārāja’s head with his thunderbolt, which had hundreds of sharp edges.
- Although Bali Mahārāja could produce much jugglery through illusion, Indra described him as having a poor fund of knowledge.
- Indra challenged him to survive on the battlefield along with his relatives and friends.
Try this today
When something impresses you today, pause to distinguish outward skill from sound understanding.
Ask yourself
Do I sometimes mistake an impressive display of skill for genuine knowledge?
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.