Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.22.10
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesChoose the Lord’s Dependable Shelter
“My grandfather, the best of all men, who achieved unlimited knowledge and was worshipable for everyone, was afraid of the common men in this world. Being fully convinced of the substantiality afforded by shelter at Your lotus feet, He took shelter of Your lotus feet, against the will of his father and demoniac friends, who were killed by Your own self.”
What the purport teaches
- Bali Mahārāja described his grandfather as the best of men, possessing unlimited knowledge and worthy of everyone’s respect.
- His grandfather feared the common men of this world but was fully convinced of the dependable shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet.
- He took that shelter against the wishes of his father and demoniac friends, even though the Lord had killed those on his own side.
Try this today
Offer a short prayer affirming your choice to seek the Lord’s shelter, even when others do not approve.
Ask yourself
Does the wish for others’ approval weaken my determination to take shelter of the Lord?
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.