Study a Verse

• Thus, despite this royal extravaganza passing right by his workshop, the arrow maker did not even notice because he was completely absorbed in his prescribed duty of making an arrow straight and sharp.
• One who is completely absorbed in loving devotional service to the Absolute Truth, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, no longer pays attention to material illusion.
• One who is seeing everywhere the Absolute Truth, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, categorically rejects both internal and external illusion.

The purport's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Grief and dependence → Detachment. The temporary world becomes a source of spiritual instruction.

Chapters 7–9 of Canto 11: The avadhuta's twenty-four teachers. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 9: Detachment from All that Is Material

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The avadhūta brāhmaṇa also received instruction from the arrow maker, who was so absorbed in constructing an arrow that he did not even notice that the king was passing right by him on the road. In the same way, one must strictly control one’s mind, concentrating it in the worship of Lord Śrī Hari.