Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.31.6
Ūti· What drives us to actAccept Necessities Without Excessive Attachment
“O master, may we inform you that because of our being overly attached to family affairs, we almost forgot the instructions we received from Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu.”
What the purport teaches
- The Pracetās admitted that excessive attachment to family affairs had almost made them forget the instructions of Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu.
- One should become a gosvāmī, a controller of the senses. The senses should be used as much as necessary to maintain body and soul together, not simply for gratification.
- Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī recommends accepting what is required without attachment. Seeking enjoyment beyond necessity leads to attachment and bondage.
Try this today
Forgo one unnecessary indulgence today and reread a spiritual instruction you have been neglecting.
Ask yourself
Which unnecessary enjoyment most often distracts me from spiritual instructions?
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.