Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.28.2
Ūti· What drives us to actChoose Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Over Material Comparisons
“Whoever indulges in praising or criticizing the qualities and behavior of others will quickly become deviated from his own best interest by his entanglement in illusory dualities.”
What the purport teaches
- Praising and criticizing materialistic people can arise from wanting to dominate others or attain a superior position. Such envy draws one away from one’s real self-interest, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
- One should distinguish between material and spiritual life rather than become absorbed in material good and bad. The purport directs us to praise pure devotees and criticize the mentality of rebellion against the Lord.
- Rather than separate people by material distinctions, one should bring them together to chant the Lord’s holy names. Love of Godhead, not material ranking, is the unifying aim.
Try this today
Invite someone to join you briefly in chanting the Lord’s holy names, without regard to material differences.
Ask yourself
Do my comparisons with others help me grow in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or feed a desire for superiority?
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.