Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.21.20
Ūti· What drives us to actAnger Obscures Intelligence and Life’s Goal
“From quarrel arises intolerable anger, followed by the darkness of ignorance. This ignorance quickly overtakes a man’s broad intelligence.”
What the purport teaches
- The desire for material association arises from denying that everything is God’s energy. We imagine sense objects to be separate from the Supreme Lord and desire to enjoy them.
- This desire gives rise to conflict and quarrel. Quarrel then produces great anger, making people foolish and destructive.
- Anger is followed by ignorance, which quickly overtakes broad intelligence. In this condition, the actual goal of human life is forgotten.
Try this today
When irritation arises today, pause before responding and remember that everything is the Supreme Lord’s energy.
Ask yourself
How does anger affect my ability to remember what truly matters in life?
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.