Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.8.12
Ūti· What drives us to actPride Wounds a Child’s Natural Affection
“My dear child, you are unaware that you were born not of my womb but of another woman. Therefore you should know that your attempt is doomed to failure. You are trying to fulfill a desire which is impossible to fulfill.”
What the purport teaches
- Dhruva Mahārāja was a small child who naturally felt affection for his father.
- He did not know that there was a distinction between his two mothers.
- Suruci pointed out this distinction and declared his desire impossible to fulfill. The purport identifies this as another expression of her pride.
Try this today
Respond gently today when someone seeks your attention or affection.
Ask yourself
How might my pride interfere with someone’s simple wish for affection?
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.