Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.19.2
Ūti· What drives us to actCelebrate Others’ Advancement in Devotional Service
“When the most powerful Indra, the King of heaven, saw this, he considered the fact that King Pṛthu was going to exceed him in fruitive activities. Thus Indra could not tolerate the great sacrificial ceremonies performed by King Pṛthu.”
What the purport teaches
- Indra feared that Pṛthu would surpass him in fruitive activities and threaten his position. Even the King of heaven was not free from envy.
- One who is not free from envy cannot advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is meant for those who are nirmatsara, or nonenvious.
- When another person advances in devotional service, a devotee thinks how fortunate that person is. Such freedom from envy is typical of Vaikuṇṭha.
Try this today
Offer one sincere word of appreciation for someone else’s devotional progress.
Ask yourself
How do I respond when someone advances beyond me in devotional service?
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.