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Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.20.25-29

Āśraya· The supreme shelter

Everything Appears Within the Lord’s Gigantic Body

“My dear King, on the heart of Lord Murāri he saw religion; on the chest, both pleasing words and truthfulness; in the mind, the moon; on the bosom, the goddess of fortune, with a lotus flower in her hand; on the neck, all the Vedas and all sound vibrations; on the arms, all the demigods, headed by King Indra; in both ears, all the directions; on the head, the upper planetary systems; on the hair, the clouds; in the nostrils, the wind; on the eyes, the sun; and in the mouth, fire. From His words came all the Vedic mantras, on His tongue was the demigod of water, Varuṇadeva, on His eyebrows were the regulative principles, and on His eyelids were day and night. [When His eyes were open it was daytime, and when they were closed it was night.] On His forehead was anger, and on His lips was greed. O King, in His touch were lusty desires, in His semen were all the waters, on His back was irreligion, and in His wonderful activities or steps was the fire of sacrifice. On His shadow was death, in His smile was the illusory energy, and on the hairs of His body were all the drugs and herbs. In His veins were all the rivers, on His nails were all the stones, in His intelligence were Lord Brahmā, the demigods and the great saintly persons, and throughout His entire body and senses were all living entities, moving and stationary. Bali Mahārāja thus saw everything in the gigantic body of the Lord.”

Śrīla Prabhupāda · Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.20.25-29, translation

What the purport teaches

  • Bali Mahārāja saw religion on Lord Murāri’s heart, and pleasing words and truthfulness on His chest. All the Vedas and sound vibrations were on His neck.
  • He saw the moon in the Lord’s mind, the sun on His eyes, and day and night on His eyelids. The rivers were in His veins, and drugs and herbs were on His bodily hairs.
  • All moving and stationary living entities were throughout the Lord’s body and senses. Bali thus saw everything in the Lord’s gigantic body.

Try this today

In one conversation today, make a deliberate effort to speak both pleasingly and truthfully.

Ask yourself

Which detail in this vision most helps you appreciate the Lord’s greatness?

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.

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