Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.3.15
Āśraya· The supreme shelterTake Shelter of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Cause
“My Lord, You are the cause of all causes, but You Yourself have no cause. Therefore You are the wonderful cause of everything. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are the shelter of the Vedic knowledge contained in the śāstras like the Pañcarātras and Vedānta-sūtra, which are Your representations, and who are the source of the paramparā system. Because it is You who can give liberation, You are the only shelter for all transcendentalists. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto You.”
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes, yet He has no cause. Although everything emanates from Him, He remains complete and unchanged.
- Whatever one’s desires, one should worship Kṛṣṇa through transcendental loving service. Rather than seeking material enjoyment, one should worship Him for freedom from material bondage.
- All Vedic knowledge flows toward Kṛṣṇa like rivers toward an ocean. Understanding Him and taking shelter of Him is the ultimate goal.
Try this today
Offer a short prayer to Kṛṣṇa asking for shelter and freedom from material bondage rather than material enjoyment.
Ask yourself
Is my spiritual study helping me take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, or merely gather information?
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.