Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.34.12-13
Ūti· What drives us to actPride in Beauty Leads to Harm
“The serpent replied: I am the well-known Vidyādhara named Sudarśana. I was very opulent and beautiful, and I used to wander freely in all directions in my airplane. Once I saw some homely sages of the lineage of Aṅgirā Muni. Proud of my beauty, I ridiculed them, and because of my sin they made me assume this lowly form.”
What the purport teaches
- Sudarśana identifies himself as a well-known Vidyādhara who possessed great beauty and opulence.
- Proud of his beauty, he ridiculed some homely sages of the lineage of Aṅgirā Muni.
- He acknowledges that his own sinful action led the sages to make him assume the lowly snake form.
Try this today
Today, avoid one appearance-based judgment and consciously treat that person with respect.
Ask yourself
Do I ever let pride in my advantages lead me to look down on others?
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.