Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.7.56
Ūti· What drives us to actDedicate Your Intelligence to Serving the Lord
“Whenever she desired anything, O King, the she-pigeon would flatteringly cajole her husband, and he in turn would gratify her by faithfully doing whatever she wanted, even with great personal difficulty. Thus, he could not control his senses in her association.”
What the purport teaches
- Through smiling glances and loving talks, the she-pigeon engaged her husband as her faithful servant. He fulfilled her wishes even with great personal difficulty.
- The pigeon could not control his senses. The account teaches through the terrible distress caused by inevitable separation.
- Intelligence must be dedicated to serving Hṛṣīkeśa, the Supreme Lord of sense activity. Rather than falling into bodily gratification, make devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the goal.
Try this today
Before acting on one strong desire today, pause and offer a brief prayer to use your senses in the Lord’s service.
Ask yourself
Am I using my intelligence to serve the Lord or simply to satisfy bodily desires?
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.