Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.7.25
Āśraya· The supreme shelterThe Source of Knowledge and Creation
“O lord, you are the original source of Vedic literature. You are the original cause of material creation, the life force, the senses, the five elements, the three modes and the mahat-tattva. You are eternal time, determination and the two religious systems called truth [satya] and truthfulness [ṛta]. You are the shelter of the syllable om, which consists of three letters a-u-m.”
What the purport teaches
- The prayer praises the lord as the original source of Vedic literature and the original cause of material creation.
- It identifies him with the life force, senses, five elements, three modes and mahat-tattva.
- He is praised as eternal time, determination, truth and truthfulness. He is also the shelter of om, consisting of the three letters a-u-m.
Try this today
Choose one phrase from this prayer and read it slowly three times as an expression of reverence.
Ask yourself
Which aspect of this prayer most helps you recognize your dependence on a source beyond yourself?
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.