Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.18.46
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyConsider Character and Circumstances Before Judging
“The Emperor Parīkṣit is a pious king. He is highly celebrated and is a first-class devotee of the Personality of Godhead. He is a saint amongst royalty, and he has performed many horse sacrifices. When such a king is tired and fatigued, being stricken with hunger and thirst, he does not at all deserve to be cursed.”
What the purport teaches
- Mahārāja Parīkṣit was celebrated for ruling according to religious principles. He possessed the prescribed qualities of a kṣatriya.
- He was also a great devotee of the Lord and a self-realized soul. Cursing him when he was tired, hungry and thirsty was most unjust.
- The childish action of one brāhmaṇa boy changed the whole world situation. Śamīka Ṛṣi accepted responsibility for the deterioration of its good order.
Try this today
Before criticizing someone today, pause to consider whether fatigue, hunger or thirst may be affecting them.
Ask yourself
Do I consider a person’s good character and present difficulties before judging one action?
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.