Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.64.32
Ūti· What drives us to actPower Cannot Justify Taking Sacred Property
“[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] How indigestible is the property of a brāhmaṇa, even when enjoyed just slightly and by one more potent than fire! What then to speak of kings who try to enjoy it, presuming themselves lords.”
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa describes a brāhmaṇa’s property as indigestible when improperly enjoyed, even in a small amount.
- Even those made powerful by austerity or mystic yoga cannot enjoy property stolen from a brāhmaṇa.
- Kings who presume themselves lords are certainly not exempt. Their power does not make such enjoyment safe.
Try this today
Before using something that belongs to someone else today, check that you have permission.
Ask yourself
Do I ever mistake having power or access for having the right to use something?
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.