Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 2.1.16
Mukti· LiberationSelf-Control Helps Fix the Mind on God
“One should leave home and practice self-control. In a sacred place he should bathe regularly and sit down in a lonely place duly sanctified.”
What the purport teaches
- One should prepare for a better next life at any stage, without waiting for death to interrupt material plans. Retirement from family encumbrances is intended for spiritual regeneration.
- Merely leaving home or living in a holy place is not enough. One must practice self-control over sense desires rather than create fresh material attachments.
- In a duly sanctified sitting place, one should chant the Lord’s holy name without offense. The purpose is to draw the mind away from material engagements and fix it on the lotus feet of the Lord.
Try this today
Sit in a clean, quiet place for a few minutes and chant the Lord’s holy name, gently returning your attention to Him.
Ask yourself
Am I changing my attachments, or only changing my surroundings?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.