Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.17.42
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyUse Wealth for the Lord’s Service
“Thereafter the King reestablished the lost legs of the personality of religion [the bull], and by encouraging activities he sufficiently improved the condition of the earth.”
What the purport teaches
- Mahārāja Parīkṣit restored austerity, cleanliness and mercy, the lost legs of the personality of religion. Together with truthfulness, these principles satisfy mother earth and leave little opportunity for Kali.
- Gold can encourage falsity, intoxication, prostitution, enmity and violence, but under proper guidance it can serve religion. Mahārāja Parīkṣit employed illicit gold in the saṅkīrtana-yajña.
- The purport recommends dividing accumulated wealth: fifty percent for the Lord’s service, twenty-five percent for family and twenty-five percent for personal necessities. Spreading spiritual knowledge, especially knowledge of devotional service to the Lord, is the greatest mercy.
Try this today
Set aside a small amount today to support the Lord’s service or the sharing of spiritual knowledge.
Ask yourself
How could I use my resources to help others learn about devotional service to the Lord?
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.