Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.7.38
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyDedicate Your Resources to Serving Others
“A saintly person should learn from the mountain to devote all his efforts to the service of others and to make the welfare of others the sole reason for his existence. Similarly, as the disciple of the tree, he should learn to dedicate himself to others.”
What the purport teaches
- Mountains sustain many forms of life and supply life-giving water. Their example teaches us to work for the happiness of all living beings.
- Trees offer fruits, flowers, shade and medicines, and even serve as firewood when cut down. Their generosity and tolerance teach saintly conduct.
- One should dedicate wealth and other assets to others' welfare, especially pleasing the spiritual master and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Becoming tolerant like a tree enables one to chant Kṛṣṇa's holy name constantly.
Try this today
Use a little of your time or wealth today to help someone, with the intention of pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Ask yourself
Which of my resources could I use more generously in service?
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.