Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.2.24
Mukti· LiberationRise Toward Goodness With Spiritual Guidance
“Firewood is a transformation of earth, but smoke is better than the raw wood. And fire is still better, for by fire we can derive the benefits of superior knowledge [through Vedic sacrifices]. Similarly, passion [rajas] is better than ignorance [tamas], but goodness [sattva] is best because by goodness one can come to realize the Absolute Truth.”
What the purport teaches
- As fire is more useful than smoke or wood, goodness is higher than passion and ignorance. Goodness helps one realize the Absolute Truth.
- A sincere person should approach an expert spiritual master for guidance. Such a spiritual master can direct a disciple toward goodness from any stage of life.
- Different kinds of worship do not bring equally beneficial results. Devotional service to the Personality of Godhead releases one from conditioned material existence.
Try this today
Write down one difficulty in your spiritual progress that you would like to discuss with an expert spiritual master.
Ask yourself
How willing am I to accept spiritual guidance that helps me progress toward goodness and devotional service?
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.