Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.31.9
Ūti· What drives us to actUse Human Life to Cross Material Existence
“The child thus remains just like a bird in a cage, without freedom of movement. At that time, if the child is fortunate, he can remember all the troubles of his past one hundred births, and he grieves wretchedly. What is the possibility of peace of mind in that condition?”
What the purport teaches
- The child lies like a caged bird, unable to move freely. If fortunate, he remembers the troubles of one hundred past births and grieves without peace of mind.
- Authorized scriptures such as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam help us understand the sufferings of birth and death. Faith in these descriptions should lead us to prepare for freedom while we have this human form.
- The human body is an efficient boat, the spiritual master an expert captain, and scriptural instructions favorable winds. The purport strongly warns against wasting these facilities for crossing material existence.
Try this today
Set aside five minutes today to read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam attentively as guidance toward freedom from material existence.
Ask yourself
How am I using the guidance and opportunity available in this human 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.