Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.3.32
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesTurn Difficulty Into Sincere Prayer
“Gajendra had been forcefully captured by the crocodile in the water and was feeling acute pain, but when he saw that Nārāyaṇa, wielding His disc, was coming in the sky on the back of Garuḍa, he immediately took a lotus flower in his trunk, and with great difficulty due to his painful condition, he uttered the following words: “O my Lord, Nārāyaṇa, master of the universe, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.””
What the purport teaches
- Although Gajendra was in acute pain, he eagerly offered a lotus and respectful obeisances when he saw Nārāyaṇa approaching. His voice was feeble, but his eagerness to honor the Lord was strong.
- A devotee regards danger as an opportunity to think of the Lord sincerely and with undiverted attention. In this way, even danger can be seen as the Lord’s mercy.
- Rather than accusing the Lord, the devotee considers suffering a result of past misdeeds and gives thanks for the opportunity to pray. The purport says that living in this way assures one’s return home, back to Godhead.
Try this today
During one difficulty today, pause and offer respectful obeisances to the Lord, giving Him your undivided attention for a moment.
Ask yourself
How could a present difficulty become an opportunity for more sincere prayer?
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.