Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.8.49
Ūti· What drives us to actRecognize the Terrible Cost of War
“I have killed many boys, brāhmaṇas, well-wishers, friends, parents, preceptors and brothers. Though I live millions of years, I will not be relieved from the hell that awaits me for all these sins.”
What the purport teaches
- War brings the massacre of innocent living beings, including boys, brāhmaṇas and women. The purport states that killing them is forbidden in all circumstances.
- Friends, parents and preceptors had stood on both sides of the battle and were killed. Yudhiṣṭhira found it horrible to think of these deaths.
- The King feared that millions and billions of years in hell awaited him. This expresses the depth of his anguish over the killings.
Try this today
Spend a quiet minute reflecting on the innocent lives harmed by war, rather than thinking only of victory or defeat.
Ask yourself
Do I consider the suffering of innocent people when I think about conflict?
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.