Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.33.14
Mukti· LiberationSimplicity and Discipline Support Spiritual Practice
“She began to bathe three times daily, and thus her curling black hair gradually became gray. Due to austerity, her body gradually became thin, and she wore old garments.”
What the purport teaches
- Devahūti bathed three times daily, wore old garments and practiced austerity. Her body gradually became thin through her severe discipline.
- Although she had lived in great comfort, she had already learned austerity during her husband’s presence. This preparation made an austere life easier for her.
- The purport warns against excessive eating, sleeping and attachment to comfort. Voluntarily accepting some difficulty is part of the discipline of yoga, including bhakti-yoga.
Try this today
Keep one part of your day simple today, such as wearing a plain garment rather than spending extra time on appearance.
Ask yourself
Which attachment to unnecessary comfort makes spiritual discipline harder for me?
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.