Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.23.1
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyLove and Service in Devotional Marriage
“Maitreya continued: After the departure of her parents, the chaste woman Devahūti, who could understand the desires of her husband, served him constantly with great love, as Bhavānī, the wife of Lord Śiva, serves her husband.”
What the purport teaches
- Devahūti served Kardama Muni constantly with great love and affection. Although she was an emperor’s daughter, she gave importance to faithful service rather than royal comfort.
- Lord Śiva is presented as an ideal husband because he is the greatest of devotees, not because of riches or sense gratification. He constantly meditates upon Lord Rāma.
- By serving her Vaiṣṇava husband, the wife shares in his devotional service. This exchange of service and love is described as the ideal of a householder’s life.
Try this today
Offer one thoughtful act of service to a family member today, with affection rather than a desire for praise.
Ask yourself
Do I value devotional qualities more than wealth and comfort in family life?
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.