Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.26.17
Ūti· What drives us to actCare and Devotion Belong at Home
“All the women addressed the King: O master of the citizens, we do not know why your dear wife has taken on this sort of existence. O killer of enemies, kindly look! She is lying on the ground without bedding. We cannot understand why she is acting this way.”
What the purport teaches
- Purañjana neglected his wife and went out to kill animals. The purport connects neglect of devotional service with sinful activities and lost good intelligence.
- A wife should not be treated merely as an instrument for sense enjoyment. The husband should keep her beloved and protected.
- The wife is called ardhāṅganī, or half of the body. Husband and wife should live together with their home centered on devotional service.
Try this today
Give someone at home a few minutes of attentive care today instead of pursuing your own enjoyment.
Ask yourself
Am I caring for those at home, or neglecting them while pursuing my own enjoyment?
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.