Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.17.32
Ūti· What drives us to actReligious Principles Matter More Than Labels
“If the personality of Kali, irreligion, is allowed to act as a man-god or an executive head, certainly irreligious principles like greed, falsehood, robbery, incivility, treachery, misfortune, cheating, quarrel and vanity will abound.”
What the purport teaches
- Austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness may be followed by a person of any faith. Changing religious labels is not a substitute for following these principles.
- Religious rules may differ according to time and place. Merely sticking to formulas without attaining the real principles is not good.
- A state may be impartial toward different faiths, but it cannot be indifferent to religious principles. When leaders neglect them, greed, falsehood and cheating flourish.
Try this today
Choose one conversation today in which to practice truthfulness without harshness.
Ask yourself
Am I giving more attention to religious labels than to truthful and merciful conduct?
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.