Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.61.25
Ūti· What drives us to actSurrender Comes Before Secondary Rules
“Rukmī gave his granddaughter Rocanā to his daughter’s son, Aniruddha, despite Rukmī’s relentless feud with Lord Hari. Although Rukmī considered this marriage irreligious, he wanted to please his sister, bound as he was by the ropes of affection.”
What the purport teaches
- Rukmī gave Rocanā to Aniruddha to please his sister. Affection moved him to accept a marriage he considered improper because of his enmity toward Lord Hari.
- Lord Kṛṣṇa is actually the well-wishing friend of every living being, not anyone’s enemy. Rukmī could not appreciate this truth, though understanding it brings peace.
- Surrender to the Supreme Lord takes precedence over secondary injunctions and public opinion. Lord Caitanya’s process of chanting, dancing, feasting and spiritual discussion leads sincere people toward surrender and eternal life with the Lord.
Try this today
Spend a few minutes chanting today, remembering that Kṛṣṇa is everyone’s well-wishing friend.
Ask yourself
Does concern about others’ opinions ever weaken my willingness to surrender to Kṛṣṇa?
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.