Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.20.17
Ūti· What drives us to actBuild Peaceful, Steady Relationships
“Though the clouds are the well-wishing friends of all living beings, the lightning, fickle in its affinities, moved from one group of clouds to another, like lusty women unfaithful even to virtuous men.”
What the purport teaches
- Clouds sustain living beings by giving rain, but lightning restlessly moves from one group of clouds to another. The verse compares this fickleness to unfaithfulness even toward a virtuous husband.
- Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that a qualified person supports family members or workers. Disturbance in married life can affect the whole family and its livelihood.
- Husband and wife should live peacefully, control sex indulgence and concentrate their minds on Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They should seek steadiness rather than remain restless like lightning.
Try this today
Take one small step toward peaceful relationships today, such as speaking calmly during a disagreement.
Ask yourself
How can I contribute to steadiness and Kṛṣṇa consciousness in my relationships?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.