Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.14.11
Ūti· What drives us to actDistinguish Duty From Sense Gratification
“Therefore you should be kind towards me by showing me complete mercy. I desire to have sons, and I am much distressed by seeing the opulence of my co-wives. By performing this act, you will become happy.”
What the purport teaches
- The purport explains that sexual intercourse for begetting children is righteous, while sex simply for sense gratification is unrighteous.
- Diti desired sons and felt poorer than her co-wives because she had none. Her appeal was not simply an expression of sexual desire.
- Diti asked her husband for mercy in her distress. As her husband, Kaśyapa was expected to satisfy his bona fide wife.
Try this today
Examine one desire today and write whether it serves a responsibility or simply seeks personal enjoyment.
Ask yourself
How can I distinguish a genuine responsibility from a desire for sense gratification?
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.