Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.1.37
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyUse Reasoned Appeals to Prevent Harm
“Vasudeva said: My dear brother-in-law Kaṁsa, you are the pride of your family, the Bhoja dynasty, and great heroes praise your qualities. How could such a qualified person as you kill a woman, your own sister, especially on the occasion of her marriage?”
What the purport teaches
- Vasudeva addressed Kaṁsa as the pride of the Bhoja dynasty, whose qualities great heroes praised. He asked how such a person could kill his own sister at her marriage.
- The purport states that Vedic principles forbid killing a brāhmaṇa, an old man, a woman, a child or a cow under any circumstances.
- Vasudeva stressed that Devakī was Kaṁsa’s sister and another man’s wife. Killing her would implicate Kaṁsa in sin and damage his royal reputation.
Try this today
Write one calm sentence you could use to discourage a harmful action by appealing to someone’s responsibilities.
Ask yourself
How did Vasudeva appeal to both duty and reputation to protect Devakī?
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.