Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.4.43
Ūti· What drives us to actGood Association Guides Our True Welfare
“Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Thus, having considered the instructions of his bad ministers, Kaṁsa, who was bound by the laws of Yamarāja and devoid of good intelligence because he was a demon, decided to persecute the saintly persons, the brāhmaṇas, as the only way to achieve his own good fortune.”
What the purport teaches
- Kaṁsa accepted his bad ministers’ advice and mistook persecution of the brāhmaṇas for his own good fortune. Although educated, bad association kept him from deciding clearly about his welfare.
- Instead of acting whimsically according to our own plans, we should follow the decision of Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. The purport explains that this rescues one from punishment by Yamarāja.
- For real welfare, one must associate with devotees and saintly persons. Such association helps rectify the material condition of one’s life.
Try this today
Before making one decision today, seek guidance from a devotee or an instruction in the śāstras.
Ask yourself
Whose advice is shaping my decisions, and does it lead me toward Kṛṣṇa and His devotees?
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.