Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.28.59
Ūti· What drives us to actTake Shelter Beyond Material Absorption
“My dear friend, when you enter such a body along with the woman of material desires, you become overly absorbed in sense enjoyment. Because of this, you have forgotten your spiritual life. Due to your material conceptions, you are placed in various miserable conditions.”
What the purport teaches
- Absorption in sense enjoyment leads to forgetfulness of spiritual life. Material conceptions place the living entity in miserable conditions.
- When a person becomes materially engrossed, he loses the capacity to hear about spiritual existence. Such forgetfulness entangles him more deeply in material existence.
- Taking shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can elevate anyone to the highest perfection. An unfavorable birth does not prevent this shelter.
Try this today
Set aside one distracting enjoyment for a few minutes today and use that time to reread this verse with a desire to take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Ask yourself
Which pursuit of enjoyment is making it harder for me to hear about spiritual life?
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.