Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.18.33
Ūti· What drives us to actQualification Matters More Than Birthright
“[The brāhmaṇa’s son, Śṛṅgi, said:] O just look at the sins of the rulers who, like crows and watchdogs at the door, perpetrate sins against their masters, contrary to the principles governing servants.”
What the purport teaches
- The brāhmaṇas are compared to the head and brain of society, and the kṣatriyas to its protective arms. The social orders are established according to qualities and work.
- A qualified father gives his son a good opportunity for training, but birth alone does not make someone qualified. The son must actually develop the necessary qualifications.
- Śṛṅgi possessed brahminical power but lacked culture and experience. His proud comparison of the King to crows and watchdogs showed the decline that begins when birthright is valued without culture.
Try this today
Show respect today to someone whose work protects or supports others.
Ask yourself
Do I rely on my background or position instead of developing good qualities?
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.