Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.11.19
Nirodha· Winding upThe Lord’s Lotus Feet Remain With Devotees
“After completing the sacrifice, Lord Rāmacandra, whose lotus feet were sometimes pierced by thorns when He lived in Daṇḍakāraṇya, placed those lotus feet in the hearts of those who always think of Him. Then He entered His own abode, the Vaikuṇṭha planet beyond the brahmajyoti.”
What the purport teaches
- The Lord’s lotus feet are always a subject for devotees’ meditation. Before returning to His abode, Lord Rāmacandra placed His lotus feet in the hearts of those who always think of Him.
- The Lord does not experience material pain or pleasure, yet devotees cannot tolerate even the thought of thorns pricking His feet. The gopīs felt similar distress when thinking of Kṛṣṇa walking in the forest.
- The brahmajyoti consists of rays from the Lord’s body, and the Vaikuṇṭha planets lie beyond it. Impersonal liberation does not provide an eternal shelter there; the Vaikuṇṭha planets are properly understood only by a pure devotee.
Try this today
Spend one minute meditating on the Lord’s lotus feet, remembering His care for those who always think of Him.
Ask yourself
How can I make remembrance of the Lord’s lotus feet more personal and attentive?
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.