Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.10.3
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesHear From Those Who Know the Truth
“O King Parīkṣit, the transcendental activities of Lord Rāmacandra have been described by great saintly persons who have seen the truth. Because you have heard again and again about Lord Rāmacandra, the husband of mother Sītā, I shall describe these activities only in brief. Please listen.”
What the purport teaches
- Lord Rāmacandra’s activities should be heard from tattva-darśīs, those who know the Absolute Truth. Academic qualifications alone do not establish spiritual authority.
- The Lord’s activities are not products of imagination or material sentiment. Authoritative accounts present Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not an ordinary person.
- One learns the truth by approaching a spiritual master, inquiring submissively and rendering service. Śukadeva Gosvāmī asks Parīkṣit to listen even though he has heard these activities repeatedly.
Try this today
Reread this translation attentively and write one sincere question you would like to ask a spiritual teacher.
Ask yourself
Do I approach hearing about the Lord with humility and a willingness to serve?
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.