Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.26.5
Ūti· What drives us to actReject Cruelty and Cultivate Mercy
“At that time King Purañjana was very much influenced by demoniac propensities. Because of this, his heart became very hard and merciless, and with sharp arrows he killed many innocent animals in the forest, taking no consideration.”
What the purport teaches
- Pride in material position leads to unrestricted sense enjoyment under passion and ignorance. Such a mentality makes the heart hard and merciless toward animals.
- The purport describes cruel violence among people as a reaction to unrestricted animal-killing. Proud people disregard the laws of nature, or the laws of God.
- Animal-killing is completely prohibited in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Its students promise to follow four regulative principles: no animal-killing, no intoxication, no illicit sex and no gambling.
Try this today
Choose a meal without meat or fish today as one concrete step away from supporting animal-killing.
Ask yourself
How do my choices about enjoyment affect my mercy toward animals?
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.