Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.8.21
Mukti· LiberationControl the Tongue Through a Higher Taste
“Although one may conquer all of the other senses, as long as the tongue is not conquered it cannot be said that one has controlled his senses. However, if one is able to control the tongue, then one is understood to be in full control of all the senses.”
What the purport teaches
- Until the tongue is conquered, the other senses cannot be considered controlled. Fasting alone may weaken the other senses while leaving the tongue eager for delicious food.
- Accept mahā-prasādam, the remnants of the Lord’s food, in moderate portions, and chant the Supreme Lord’s holy name. The higher taste of Kṛṣṇa consciousness helps one give up lower tastes.
- Even beginning devotional practice brings relief from unwanted sinful habits and the pressure of the senses. Reestablishing our blissful relationship with Kṛṣṇa frees us from material addiction.
Try this today
Spend a few minutes today chanting the glorious holy name of the Supreme Lord.
Ask yourself
How could I engage my tongue in Kṛṣṇa consciousness rather than simply trying to restrain it?
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.