Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.7.27
Ūti· What drives us to actKnowledge Includes Knowing How to Retract
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Know from Me that this is the act of the son of Droṇa. He has thrown the hymns of nuclear energy [brahmāstra], and he does not know how to retract the glare. He has helplessly done this, being afraid of imminent death.”
What the purport teaches
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead explained that the son of Droṇa had released the brahmāstra out of fear of imminent death. He did not know how to retract it.
- The purport describes the brahmāstra as a subtle material weapon produced by chanting hymns. Subtle material science is not spiritual science.
- Perfect knowledge included knowing both how to apply the weapon and how to retract it. Using it without this knowledge was improper and irreligious.
Try this today
Before one consequential action today, pause and check whether you understand how to stop or correct it.
Ask yourself
Before acting out of fear, do I consider whether I can control the consequences?
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.