Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.54.41
Ūti· What drives us to actPride Blinds Us to Kṛṣṇa’s Arrangement
“[Again Balarāma addressed Kṛṣṇa:] Blinded by conceit with their personal opulences, proud men offend others for the sake of such things as kingdom, land, wealth, women, honor and power.”
What the purport teaches
- Blinded by pride in their opulence, people offend others for kingdom, land, wealth, women, honor and power.
- Kṛṣṇa’s marriage to Rukmiṇī was the best arrangement for everyone concerned, yet Rukmī maliciously opposed it. When her desire was fulfilled, he attacked the Lord with vulgar insults and mortal weapons.
- Kṛṣṇa’s punishment humiliated the puffed-up prince, but it was only a mild punishment compared with what Rukmī had done.
Try this today
Before defending your status today, pause and remove any insulting words from your response.
Ask yourself
Does attachment to honor or control ever lead me to speak offensively?
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.