Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.29.33
Ūti· What drives us to actSeek Shelter, Not Another Burden
“A man may carry a burden on his head, and when he feels it to be too heavy, he sometimes gives relief to his head by putting the burden on his shoulder. In this way he tries to relieve himself of the burden. However, whatever process he devises to counteract the burden does nothing more than put the same burden from one place to another.”
What the purport teaches
- Moving a burden from the head to the shoulder does not free us from carrying it. Similarly, material remedies often replace one trouble with another.
- Automobiles offer swift travel but also bring traffic congestion, air pollution and fuel shortages. Our manufactured solutions do not actually put an end to our pains.
- The real way to minimize our problems is to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead and accept His protection. Being all-powerful, He can relieve our painful material existence.
Try this today
Pause over one worry today and offer a simple prayer of surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Ask yourself
Where am I merely shifting a burden instead of seeking the Lord’s protection?
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.