Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.10.16
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesMaterial Nature Obeys the Supreme Lord
“Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: After constructing a bridge over the ocean by throwing into the water the peaks of mountains whose trees and other vegetation had been shaken by the hands of great monkeys, Lord Rāmacandra went to Laṅkā to release Sītādevī from the clutches of Rāvaṇa. With the direction and help of Vibhīṣaṇa, Rāvaṇa’s brother, the Lord, along with the monkey soldiers, headed by Sugrīva, Nīla and Hanumān, entered Rāvaṇa’s kingdom, Laṅkā, which had previously been burnt by Hanumān.”
What the purport teaches
- The monkey soldiers threw mountain peaks covered with trees and plants into the sea. These floated by the supreme will of the Lord.
- Great planets float in space by the same supreme will. The Lord is not controlled by material nature; material nature works under His direction.
- With Vibhīṣaṇa’s direction and the monkey soldiers’ help, Lord Rāmacandra entered Laṅkā to release Sītādevī. His bridge has kept His name and fame eternally celebrated.
Try this today
Look at the sky today and remember the purport’s teaching that the planets move under the Lord’s supreme will.
Ask yourself
How does this account deepen your understanding of the Lord’s control over material nature?
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.