Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.49.23
Ūti· What drives us to actPossessions Cannot Give Lasting Security
“A fool indulges in sin to maintain his life, wealth and children and other relatives, for he thinks, “These things are mine.” In the end, however, these very things all abandon him, leaving him frustrated.”
What the purport teaches
- Thinking “These things are mine,” a foolish person commits sins to maintain life, wealth and relatives. In the end, these very things abandon him.
- Akrūra gives frank advice to Dhṛtarāṣṭra. The purport notes how much Dhṛtarāṣṭra suffered for not accepting it.
- Even when one tenaciously clings to property, everything is eventually lost. The misguided soul is swept away by the wheel of birth and death.
Try this today
Examine one decision involving money or family today, and choose an honest course rather than one driven by possessiveness.
Ask yourself
Does my sense of “mine” ever lead me to excuse wrongdoing?
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.