Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.31.26
Ūti· What drives us to actHelpless to Relieve Bodily Discomfort
“Laid down on a foul bed infested with sweat and germs, the poor child is incapable of scratching his body to get relief from his itching sensation, to say nothing of sitting up, standing or even moving.”
What the purport teaches
- The child is born crying and suffering, and that suffering continues after birth.
- A foul bed contaminated by bodily waste and germs disturbs him and makes him cry.
- He cannot even scratch an itch, much less sit up or stand. He is unable to take measures for his own relief.
Try this today
Help clean a resting place for someone who depends on others, if you have the opportunity today.
Ask yourself
How does the child’s inability to relieve discomfort deepen my concern for dependent people?
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.