Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.22.6-7
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionTrust the All-Merciful Lord’s Purpose
“Many demons who were continuously inimical toward You finally achieved the perfection of great mystic yogīs. Your Lordship can perform one work to serve many purposes, and consequently, although You have punished me in many ways, I do not feel ashamed of having been arrested by the ropes of Varuṇa, nor do I feel aggrieved.”
What the purport teaches
- The Supreme Lord is called all-merciful because His mercy is liberally distributed. Even some demons who opposed Him attained the exalted position achieved by great mystic yogīs.
- Bali Mahārāja was a fully surrendered devotee who appreciated the Lord’s mercy toward himself and others.
- Understanding that the Lord had a hidden purpose in punishing him, Bali Mahārāja was neither unhappy nor ashamed of being bound by the ropes of Varuṇa.
Try this today
In a brief prayer, name one difficulty and express your wish to remain surrendered to the Lord.
Ask yourself
Can I acknowledge the Lord’s mercy even when I cannot understand His purpose?
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.