Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.3.14
Āśraya· The supreme shelterThe Lord Directs and Resolves Doubts
“My Lord, You are the observer of all the objectives of the senses. Without Your mercy, there is no possibility of solving the problem of doubts. The material world is just like a shadow resembling You. Indeed, one accepts this material world as real because it gives a glimpse of Your existence.”
What the purport teaches
- The Lord observes all the objectives of the senses. Without His direction, the living entity cannot take even a step forward.
- Remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness come from the Lord within the heart. When the conditioned soul wants to forget Him and pursue material enjoyment, He allows that opportunity life after life.
- The material world resembles a shadow of spiritual reality. Its activities point to the Lord’s supervision, just as an earthen pot points to the existence of a potter.
Try this today
Bring one spiritual doubt before the Lord in prayer, asking for His mercy to understand.
Ask yourself
Am I using my remembrance to turn toward the Lord or to pursue objectives that help me forget Him?
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.