Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.8.51
Ūti· What drives us to actWork for the Supreme Lord
“I have killed many friends of women, and I have thus caused enmity to such an extent that it is not possible to undo it by material welfare work.”
What the purport teaches
- Material welfare work cannot undo the enmity caused by killing loved ones. Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja feels that even great sacrifices cannot counteract this growing chain of actions and reactions.
- Work done for material interests creates further actions and reactions, binding the performer in material bondage. The remedy is to work on behalf of the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
- The Pāṇḍavas carried out the Lord’s orders, so no sin touched them. Those who declare war for personal interest bear the responsibility themselves.
Try this today
Before one duty today, pause and consider how to perform it as service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa rather than merely for personal gain.
Ask yourself
In my work, am I seeking only material prosperity, or seeking to serve Śrī Kṛṣṇa?
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.