Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.11.26
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesThe Lord Rules With Care and Responsibility
“During the reign of Lord Rāmacandra, the streets of the capital, Ayodhyā, were sprinkled with perfumed water and drops of perfumed liquor, thrown about by elephants from their trunks. When the citizens saw the Lord personally supervising the affairs of the city in such opulence, they appreciated this opulence very much.”
What the purport teaches
- Ayodhyā’s streets were cleaned and sprinkled by elephants with perfumed water and drops of perfumed liquor. This gives one example of the opulence of Lord Rāmacandra’s kingdom.
- The Lord personally supervised the affairs of the state; He was not an inactive monarch. He gave the citizens facilities for peaceful life and treated them as His sons.
- The citizens were trained in the varṇāśrama system and were obedient and well ordered. The purport connects their happiness with both the King’s care and their own responsible conduct.
Try this today
Attend carefully to one neglected responsibility today, remembering Lord Rāmacandra’s personal attention to His citizens.
Ask yourself
How can I carry out my responsibilities with greater care for those affected by them?
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.