Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.14.42
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyRespect Responsibilities in Relationships and Duty
“Have you contacted a woman of impeachable character, or have you not properly treated a deserving woman? Or have you been defeated on the way by someone who is inferior or equal to you?”
What the purport teaches
- The purport describes relationships between men and women as governed by specific social conditions during the Pāṇḍavas’ time. Such relationships were not treated as unrestricted.
- Contact between man and woman is natural, but the purport emphasizes regulative principles to preserve social order. The King also asks whether Arjuna had improperly treated a deserving woman.
- For a kṣatriya, defeat by an equal or weaker opponent was considered disgraceful, unlike defeat by a superior. Arjuna’s defeat by Bhīṣmadeva was not an insult, and Lord Kṛṣṇa saved him from danger.
Try this today
Review one interaction today and correct any disrespectful words or behavior.
Ask yourself
Am I treating others respectfully while honoring my responsibilities in relationships?
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.