Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.8.50
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyExamine Personal Gain Behind Duty
“There is no sin for a king who kills for the right cause, who is engaged in maintaining his citizens. But this injunction is not applicable to me.”
What the purport teaches
- A king protecting his citizens incurs no sin by killing in a fight for the right cause. Yet Yudhiṣṭhira felt that this injunction did not apply to him.
- He considered that Duryodhana had been administering the kingdom without harming its citizens. He therefore thought the battle had been fought for his personal gain rather than their protection.
- Seeing the killing as an attempt to advance himself, Yudhiṣṭhira held himself responsible for the sins. The permission given to a protecting ruler brought him no satisfaction.
Try this today
Before one decision today, write down whether your main aim is others’ welfare or your own advantage.
Ask yourself
Am I calling something a duty when my real motive is personal gain?
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.