Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.84.64
Ūti· What drives us to actSeek True Benefit, Not Blinding Opulence
“O most respectful one, may a person who wants the highest benefit in life never gain kingly opulence, for it leaves him blind to the needs of his own family and friends.”
What the purport teaches
- Vasudeva warns that kingly opulence can blind a person to the needs of family and friends.
- His self-criticism arises from deep humility, but the purport explains that his condemnation of opulence is generally valid.
- Nārada teaches that attraction to riches bewilders intelligence more than beauty, aristocratic birth or learning. False pride in wealth can lead to wine, women and gambling.
Try this today
Set aside one pursuit of comfort today to attend to a family member’s or friend’s need.
Ask yourself
Does my desire for wealth make me less attentive to the people around me?
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.