Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.5.44
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesOffer Respect to the Complete Lord
“Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is completely silent, free from endeavor, and completely satisfied by His own achievements. He is not attached to the activities of the material world through His senses. Indeed, in performing His pastimes in this material world, He is just like the unattached air.”
What the purport teaches
- Behind the activities of material nature is the Supreme Lord, by whose indications everything takes place. Even without seeing Him, we should offer Him respectful obeisances.
- The Lord is complete, and everything is done systematically by His energies. Although He sets those energies in action, He Himself has nothing to do.
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead is unattached to material activities. In His pastimes within this world, He remains unattached like the air.
Try this today
Offer one deliberate, respectful bow to the Supreme Personality of Godhead today.
Ask yourself
Can you offer the Lord respect even when you cannot see how His energies work?
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.