Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.1.13
Ūti· What drives us to actAffection Must Not Excuse Offense
“You are maintaining offense personified, Duryodhana, as your infallible son, but he is envious of Lord Kṛṣṇa. And because you are thus maintaining a nondevotee of Kṛṣṇa, you are devoid of all auspicious qualities. Relieve yourself of this ill fortune as soon as possible and do good to the whole family!”
What the purport teaches
- A good son is called apatya, one who does not allow his father to fall down. By offering sacrifices to please Lord Viṣṇu, a son can help his father after death.
- Lord Kṛṣṇa is directly the Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. Because Duryodhana was hostile to Him, he could not provide the spiritual protection Dhṛtarāṣṭra expected.
- Dhṛtarāṣṭra mistakenly maintained Duryodhana as a good son despite his offenses. Vidura urged him to remove this source of trouble for the good of the whole family.
Try this today
Identify one harmful action you have been excusing through attachment, and resolve not to encourage it today.
Ask yourself
Does my affection ever lead me to excuse conduct opposed to devotion to the Lord?
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.