Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.24.5
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyA Trusted Friend Deserves Confidence
“One who is neutral may be avoided like an enemy, but a friend should be considered like one’s own self.”
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa said that a friend should be considered like one’s own self, even if a neutral person is kept at a distance.
- Even if Nanda did not see everyone equally, Kṛṣṇa was his son and a most trustworthy friend. He should therefore not be excluded from intimate discussions about the sacrifice.
- According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, Nanda stood silent, doubting his parental aloofness. Garga Muni had predicted Kṛṣṇa’s qualities would equal Nārāyaṇa’s, and the boy had already defeated many powerful demons.
Try this today
Give a thoughtful answer today to a sincere question from someone you might otherwise overlook.
Ask yourself
Do I overlook a trustworthy person’s sincere questions because of their age or position?
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.