Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.3.29
Āśraya· The supreme shelterSurrender Awakens Our Real Identity
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by whose illusory energy the jīva, who is part and parcel of God, forgets his real identity because of the bodily concept of life. I take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose glories are difficult to understand.”
What the purport teaches
- Every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Their relationship is intimate, like that of father and son.
- Through material contact, the living entity forgets this relationship and plans to enjoy independently. Māyā covers him with the conception, “I am this body, and everything related to this body is mine.”
- Surrender to the Lord brings enlightenment about one’s real position. On the Brahman platform, one becomes joyful, free from jealousy, and equally disposed toward all living entities, attaining pure devotional service.
Try this today
When meeting someone today, pause to remember that this living entity is also part and parcel of the Supreme Lord.
Ask yourself
Where do I most strongly identify with “I am this body” or “this is mine”?
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.