Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.25.6
Ūti· What drives us to actBeyond the Mentality of “I” and “Mine”
“My dear Uddhava, the combination of all three modes is present in the mentality of “I” and “mine.” The ordinary transactions of this world, which are carried out through the agency of the mind, the objects of perception, the senses and the vital airs of the physical body, are also based on the combination of the modes.”
What the purport teaches
- The illusory concept of “I” and “mine” arises from a mixture of the three modes. One may identify with being peaceful, lusty or angry and claim these qualities as one’s own.
- In ordinary material activity, the modes do not occur in pure isolation. Their mixture makes normal functioning within this world possible.
- Pure consciousness means thinking, “I am an eternal servant of Lord Kṛṣṇa” and “My only possession is loving service to the Lord.” This consciousness is beyond the material modes.
Try this today
Before one activity today, pause and remember, “I am an eternal servant of Lord Kṛṣṇa.”
Ask yourself
What would change if you saw loving service to Lord Kṛṣṇa as your only possession?
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.