Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.7.16
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesBirth Does Not Excuse Harmful Conduct
“O gentle lady, when I present you with the head of that brāhmaṇa, after beheading him with arrows from my Gāṇḍīva bow, I shall then wipe the tears from your eyes and pacify you. Then, after burning your sons’ bodies, you can take your bath standing on his head.”
What the purport teaches
- Arjuna promised to punish the killer and wipe away Draupadī’s tears. His promise included beheading the aggressor with arrows from his Gāṇḍīva bow.
- The purport identifies grave harmful acts, including arson, poisoning and deadly attack, as aggression. An aggressor’s position as a brāhmaṇa or a brāhmaṇa’s son does not exempt him from punishment.
- Arjuna knew that Aśvatthāmā was a brāhmaṇa’s son, but judged his conduct as that of a butcher. The purport explains that his birth did not excuse his villainous actions.
Try this today
Reflect on one person you respect, distinguishing their family or position from the conduct for which they are responsible.
Ask yourself
Do I excuse harmful conduct because of someone’s family background or respected position?
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.