Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.8.47
Ūti· What drives us to actThe Soul Is Beyond the Body
“King Yudhiṣṭhira, son of Dharma, overwhelmed by the death of his friends, was aggrieved just like a common, materialistic man. O sages, thus deluded by affection, he began to speak.”
What the purport teaches
- The living entity is neither the body nor the mind, but is beyond the material conception of life. The body is only an external dress of the living soul.
- Everyone is bound to carry out their occupational duties. A kṣatriya must fight for a right cause, regardless of who stands on the opposite side.
- Yudhiṣṭhira knew these truths, yet by the Lord’s will he became overwhelmed by worldly affection. The Lord intended that he receive instruction from Bhīṣma.
Try this today
Take one quiet minute to reflect on the purport’s teaching that the body is the soul’s external dress.
Ask yourself
How might remembering that I am not the body or mind change my understanding of duty?
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.