Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.23.37
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesDo Not Assume Dishonest Spiritual Motives
“They would criticize and insult him, saying, “This man is just a hypocrite and a cheat. He makes a business of religion simply because he lost all his wealth and his family threw him out.””
What the purport teaches
- The people insulted the brāhmaṇa by calling him a hypocrite and a cheat.
- They claimed that he had made religion a business after losing his wealth and being rejected by his family.
- The verse reports their hostile accusations; it does not endorse their judgment of his motives.
Try this today
Refrain today from repeating one unverified criticism of someone’s spiritual motives.
Ask yourself
Do I sometimes assume that another person’s religious practice is insincere?
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.