Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.3.20-21
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesPure Devotion Seeks Only to Serve
“Unalloyed devotees, who have no desire other than to serve the Lord, worship Him in full surrender and always hear and chant about His activities, which are most wonderful and auspicious. Thus they always merge in an ocean of transcendental bliss. Such devotees never ask the Lord for any benediction. I, however, am in danger. Thus I pray to that Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is eternally existing, who is invisible, who is the Lord of all great personalities, such as Brahmā, and who is available only by transcendental bhakti-yoga. Being extremely subtle, He is beyond the reach of my senses and transcendental to all external realization. He is unlimited, He is the original cause, and He is completely full in everything. I offer my obeisances unto Him.”
What the purport teaches
- Pure devotional service means serving the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa favorably, without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation.
- Unalloyed devotees hear and chant about the Lord's activities and are immersed in transcendental bliss. They ask for no material benefit, though a helpless devotee may pray for rescue while fully depending on His mercy.
- Only through devotional service can one approach the Supreme Lord. By becoming attached to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and constantly thinking of His lotus feet, one can understand Him without doubt.
Try this today
Read aloud a passage about the Lord's activities today, with the intention of serving Him rather than gaining a material benefit.
Ask yourself
What would it mean for me to serve Kṛṣṇa without asking for something in return?
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.