Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.11.7
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyStop Anger Before It Harms the Innocent
“Lord Manu said: My dear son, please stop. It is not good to become unnecessarily angry — it is the path to hellish life. Now you are going beyond the limit by killing Yakṣas who are actually not offenders.”
What the purport teaches
- Atiroṣeṇa means unnecessary anger. When Dhruva Mahārāja exceeded the limits of necessary anger, Manu came to protect him from further sinful action.
- A kṣatriya may use force to maintain law and order, but not without reason. Killing an innocent person opens the path to hellish life.
- Only the Yakṣa who killed Uttama was punishable, not all the citizens. The purport condemns attacks on innocent citizens and the unnecessary slaughter of innocent animals.
Try this today
Before acting on anger today, ask whether your response would harm someone who is not responsible.
Ask yourself
How can I recognize when my anger has gone beyond a justified response?
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.