Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.19.3
Ūti· What drives us to actUse Wealth to Advance God Consciousness
“I am uncivilized and sinful due to my neglect of brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection. Therefore I wish that my kingdom, strength and riches burn up immediately by the fire of the brāhmaṇa’s wrath so that in the future I may not be guided by such inauspicious attitudes.”
What the purport teaches
- Progressive human civilization rests on brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection. Economic development should serve these principles rather than become a source of degradation.
- Even a strong king like Mahārāja Parīkṣit was induced to disregard brahminical culture through hunger and thirst. He regretted the incident and wished to lose wealth and power that were not serving higher principles.
- Every home and state should advance brahminical culture for self-purification, God consciousness for self-realization and cow protection for nourishing food. These are foundations for peace and prosperity.
Try this today
Set aside a small amount of time or money today specifically to support God consciousness or cow protection.
Ask yourself
How could my resources better support God consciousness rather than neglect it?
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.