Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.21.7
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesEqual Vision Leads to Equal Treatment
“Thereafter, having divided the remaining food with his relatives, Rantideva was just about to eat his own share when a śūdra guest arrived. Seeing the śūdra in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, King Rantideva gave him also a share of the food.”
What the purport teaches
- Rantideva had divided the remaining food among his relatives and was about to eat when a śūdra arrived. He gave this guest a share as well.
- He saw everyone as part of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, he did not discriminate between the brāhmaṇa and the śūdra, or between the poor and the rich.
- Such equal vision is called sama-darśinaḥ. One who realizes the Lord’s presence in everyone’s heart treats living beings equally.
Try this today
Show the same courtesy today to someone whose social or financial circumstances differ from yours.
Ask yourself
Do wealth or social standing affect the respect I show others?
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.