Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.9.27
Ūti· What drives us to actMeet Bodily Needs Simply
“A man who has many wives is constantly harassed by them. He is responsible for their maintenance, and thus all the ladies constantly pull him in different directions, each struggling for her self-interest. Similarly, the material senses harass the conditioned soul, pulling him in many different directions at once. On one side the tongue is pulling him to arrange tasty food; then thirst drags him to get a suitable drink. Simultaneously the sex organs clamor for satisfaction, and the sense of touch demands soft, sensuous objects. The belly harasses him until it is filled, the ears demand to hear pleasing sounds, the sense of smell hankers for pleasant aromas, and the fickle eyes clamor for pleasing sights. Thus the senses, organs and limbs, all desiring satisfaction, pull the living entity in many directions.”
What the purport teaches
- The senses pull the conditioned soul in different directions at once, each demanding its own satisfaction.
- One should offer the body its bare necessities without attachment, keeping it fit and working in the simplest possible way.
- For one who remains a servant of the body’s competing demands, there is no possibility of understanding God or even becoming peaceful.
Try this today
Choose one simple, sufficient meal today rather than spending extra effort pursuing taste.
Ask yourself
Which demand of your senses most often disturbs your peace?
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.