Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.16.5
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyA Devotee’s Conduct Reflects on the Lord
“A wrong act committed by a servant leads people in general to blame his master, just as a spot of white leprosy on any part of the body pollutes all of the skin.”
What the purport teaches
- A servant’s wrongdoing brings blame upon the master. Similarly, an offense by a devotee is described as a scar on the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- A devotee should see that Vaiṣṇava qualities increase as Kṛṣṇa consciousness advances.
- The devotee’s duty is to remain careful in dealings with others, especially with another devotee of the Lord.
Try this today
Before one conversation today, pause and choose words that will avoid giving offense.
Ask yourself
Does my conduct help others respect the Lord whom I serve?
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.