Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.6.13
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionLong To See The Lord Without Demanding
“Elephants afflicted by a forest fire become very happy when they get water from the Ganges. Similarly, O my Lord, from whose navel grows a lotus flower, since You have now appeared before us, we have become transcendentally happy. By seeing Your Lordship, whom we have desired to see for a very long time, we have achieved our ultimate goal in life.”
What the purport teaches
- A pure devotee is always eager to see the Supreme Lord face to face but never demands that He appear. Even prolonged disappointment does not change this attitude.
- When the Lord appears by His own pleasure, the devotee feels deeply satisfied. On seeing Him, Dhruva Mahārāja no longer wanted to ask for any benediction.
- Whether able or unable to see the Lord, a pure devotee continues devotional service. The devotee always hopes that the Lord may someday be pleased to appear.
Try this today
Make a short prayer expressing your desire to serve the Lord without demanding that He appear.
Ask yourself
Can you continue serving the Lord without demanding a particular experience or reward?
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.