Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.10.29
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyThe Lord’s Kindness Extends Beyond Death
“Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Vibhīṣaṇa, the pious brother of Rāvaṇa and devotee of Lord Rāmacandra, received approval from Lord Rāmacandra, the King of Kosala. Then he performed the prescribed funeral ceremonies for his family members to save them from the path to hell.”
What the purport teaches
- Vibhīṣaṇa was Rāvaṇa’s pious brother and a devotee of Lord Rāmacandra. With the Lord’s approval, he performed the prescribed funeral ceremonies for his family members.
- The purport explains that severe sin can prevent a person from immediately receiving another body, resulting in ghostly life. The prescribed śrāddha ceremony is meant to save the departed from that condition.
- Lord Rāmacandra advised Vibhīṣaṇa to perform the duties relating to the dead. In this way, He showed kindness to Rāvaṇa even after his death.
Try this today
Reflect for one minute on Lord Rāmacandra’s kindness even to someone who had opposed Him.
Ask yourself
What does the Lord’s kindness to Rāvaṇa teach me about extending care beyond resentment?
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.