Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.50.32-33
Ūti· What drives us to actShame and Counsel Shape Jarāsandha’s Decision
“Jarāsandha, whom fighters had highly honored, was ashamed after being released by the two Lords of the universe, and thus he decided to undergo penances. On the road, however, several kings convinced him with both spiritual wisdom and mundane arguments that he should give up his idea of self-abnegation. They told him, “Your defeat by the Yadus was simply the unavoidable reaction of your past karma.””
What the purport teaches
- Although highly honored by fighters, Jarāsandha felt ashamed after the two Lords of the universe released him.
- He decided to undergo penances, but several kings met him on the road and persuaded him to abandon that decision.
- Their counsel combined spiritual wisdom with mundane arguments. They described his defeat by the Yadus as the unavoidable reaction of his past karma.
Try this today
Recall one recent setback and briefly note how another person’s advice affected your response.
Ask yourself
How do shame and the advice of others influence your decisions after a setback?
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.