Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.47.7
Ūti· What drives us to actRelationships That End When Benefits End
“Prostitutes abandon a penniless man, subjects an incompetent king, students their teacher once they have finished their education, and priests a man who has remunerated them for a sacrifice.”
What the purport teaches
- The gopīs describe prostitutes abandoning a penniless man and subjects abandoning an incompetent king.
- They also describe students leaving their teacher after completing their education.
- Priests leave a person who has paid them for a sacrifice. These examples show relationships ending when their purpose or benefit has ended.
Try this today
Thank someone who helped you in the past, without requesting another favor.
Ask yourself
Do I value people only while they can provide something for me?
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.