Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.1.33
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesThe Body Changes; the Soul Remains
“Since that time, no male had entered that forest. But now King Sudyumna, having been transformed into a female, began to walk with his associates from one forest to another.”
What the purport teaches
- Sudyumna, now transformed into a female, walked with his associates from one forest to another. Since that time, males had avoided entering that forest.
- The body is like a dress: it may change in this life or the next, but the soul remains the same.
- A learned person sees the soul as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord rather than focusing on its bodily covering. Such a person has equal vision.
Try this today
In one interaction today, consciously remember that the other person is a soul, part and parcel of the Supreme Lord.
Ask yourself
How might seeing the soul rather than only the body change the way you treat someone?
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.