Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.18.4
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyWorship Matters More Than Severe Penance
“Thus engaged as a vānaprastha, one should execute penance during the hottest summer days by subjecting oneself to burning fires on four sides and the blazing sun overhead; during the rainy season one should remain outside, subjecting oneself to torrents of rain; and in the freezing winter one should remain submerged in water up to one’s neck.”
What the purport teaches
- The verse describes severe seasonal penances involving fire, rain and freezing water.
- The purport explains that one given to sense gratification must perform severe penances to counteract sinful activities. A devotee naturally develops Kṛṣṇa consciousness and need not undertake such radical penances.
- Severe penance is no substitute for properly worshiping the Lord. The essential concern is realizing Śrī Kṛṣṇa within and without everything.
Try this today
Set aside a quiet moment to worship Śrī Kṛṣṇa rather than seeking a difficult bodily penance.
Ask yourself
Am I giving more importance to outward hardship or to sincerely worshiping the Lord?
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.