Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.5.34
Āśraya· The supreme shelterThe Moon's Nourishment Points to the Lord
“Soma, the moon, is the source of food grains, strength and longevity for all the demigods. He is also the master of all vegetation and the source of generation for all living entities. As stated by learned scholars, the moon is the mind of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of all opulences, be pleased with us.”
What the purport teaches
- Soma, the predominating deity of the moon, is the source of food grains and therefore of strength even for the demigods.
- The purport describes moonshine as the vital force for all vegetation. The translation also describes Soma as a source of longevity and generation.
- Learned scholars describe the moon as the mind of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The prayer seeks the pleasure of that Lord, the source of all opulences.
Try this today
Before eating food grains today, recall their connection with Soma and thank the Lord, the source of all opulences.
Ask yourself
How can the nourishment I receive remind me to seek the Lord's pleasure?
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.