Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.13.23
Ūti· What drives us to actHuman Life Is for Returning to Godhead
“Alas, how powerful are the hopes of a living being to continue his life. Verily, you are living just like a household dog and are eating remnants of food given by Bhīma.”
What the purport teaches
- A sādhu should not flatter wealthy or powerful people for comfortable support. His responsibility is to speak the truth about the precarious condition of material life.
- Dhṛtarāṣṭra accepted humiliation because his desire to continue living comfortably was so strong. The urge to continue living indicates that the living entity is eternal.
- The human body, obtained after many births and deaths, offers a chance for self-realization and returning to Godhead. A genuine sādhu helps awaken us to that opportunity and to eternal life there.
Try this today
Set aside five minutes today to study this teaching about using human life to return to Godhead.
Ask yourself
Are your plans mainly for comfort, or do they make room for self-realization?
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.