Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.19.24-25
Ūti· What drives us to actTrue Religion Means Surrender and Service
“In this way King Indra, in order to steal the horse from King Pṛthu’s sacrifice, adopted several orders of sannyāsa. Some sannyāsīs go naked, and sometimes they wear red garments and pass under the name of kāpālika. These are simply symbolic representations of their sinful activities. These so-called sannyāsīs are very much appreciated by sinful men because they are all godless atheists and very expert in putting forward arguments and reasons to support their case. We must know, however, that they are only passing as adherents of religion and are not so in fact. Unfortunately, bewildered persons accept them as religious, and being attracted to them, they spoil their life.”
What the purport teaches
- False religious teachers can be expert in arguments and persuasive speech. Those bewildered by their appearance may accept them as religious and spoil their lives.
- The purport describes people in Kali as short-lived, lacking spiritual knowledge and vulnerable to false religious systems. Accepting sannyāsa for cheating does not make someone genuinely religious.
- Actual religion is surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We must serve the Lord in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Try this today
Offer one brief prayer to Kṛṣṇa today, asking to serve Him sincerely.
Ask yourself
Does the guidance I accept lead me toward surrender and service to Kṛṣṇa?
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.