Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.18.29
Ūti· What drives us to actA Devotee Is Not Envious
“O brāhmaṇas, the circumstances having distressed him with extreme hunger and thirst, the King directed toward the sage his anger and envy, which he had never before directed toward a brāhmaṇa.”
What the purport teaches
- Extreme hunger and thirst distressed Mahārāja Parīkṣit, and he directed anger and envy toward the sage. Such behavior toward a brāhmaṇa was unprecedented for him.
- The King knew that brāhmaṇas, sages, children, women and old men were beyond the jurisdiction of punishment.
- As the Lord is never envious of anyone, neither is His devotee. The purport explains this exceptional behavior of the King as ordained by the Lord.
Try this today
When discomfort makes you irritable today, pause before speaking angrily.
Ask yourself
How does physical discomfort affect the way I treat others?
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.