Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.2.13
Ūti· What drives us to actQualification and Dakṣa’s Judgment
“I had no desire to give my daughter to this person, who has broken all rules of civility. Because of not observing the required rules and regulations, he is impure, but I was obliged to hand over my daughter to him just as one teaches the messages of the Vedas to a śūdra.”
What the purport teaches
- The purport explains that Vedic study requires brahminical qualifications. It compares this preparation to completing lower grades before entering a law college.
- According to Dakṣa’s estimation, Śiva was unclean and unworthy to marry Satī, who was enlightened, beautiful and chaste.
- The term bhinna-setave refers to breaking the regulations of good behavior by not following Vedic principles. Dakṣa therefore regarded the marriage as improper.
Try this today
Before studying today, clean your study space and take a moment to prepare yourself carefully.
Ask yourself
What attention am I giving to cleanliness and good behavior as preparation for spiritual study?
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.