Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.24.11
Ūti· What drives us to actAttraction Can Deepen Material Entanglement
“Mahārāja Barhiṣat — henceforward known as Prācīnabarhi — was ordered by the supreme demigod Brahmā to marry the daughter of the ocean named Śatadruti. Her bodily features were completely beautiful, and she was very young. She was decorated with the proper garments, and when she came into the marriage arena and began circumambulating it, the fire-god Agni became so attracted to her that he desired her company, exactly as he had formerly desired to enjoy Śukī.”
What the purport teaches
- The purport explains that natural attraction between man and woman becomes strongly fixed through marriage. The bride’s decorations and the marriage ceremony strengthen this attraction.
- Home, children, friends and wealth can deepen material identification. One begins to think, “This is mine,” and “It is I who am acting.”
- Even highly situated demigods can be overcome by sexual attraction. The purport describes this attraction as a force that keeps living entities accepting material bodies.
Try this today
Today, notice one possessive thought and pause to reflect on how it strengthens material identification.
Ask yourself
Where do I notice the thought “This is mine” strengthening my attachment?
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.