Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.14.8
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyPeople Caught Between Two Dangers
“When the great sages consulted one another, they saw that the people were in a dangerous position from both directions. When a fire blazes on both ends of a log, the ants in the middle are in a very dangerous situation. Similarly, at that time the people in general were in a dangerous position due to an irresponsible king on one side and thieves and rogues on the other.”
What the purport teaches
- The sages saw that the people faced danger from two directions.
- An irresponsible king threatened them on one side, while thieves and rogues threatened them on the other.
- Their situation was like that of ants in the middle of a log burning at both ends. The image shows how vulnerable the people had become.
Try this today
Ask someone facing difficulty what other pressures they are dealing with before offering advice.
Ask yourself
Do I notice when someone faces pressures from more than one direction?
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.