Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.8.65
Ūti· What drives us to actAttachment Must Not Overcome Mercy
“The King replied: O best of the brāhmaṇas, I am very much addicted to my wife, and I am so fallen that I have abandoned all merciful behavior, even to my son, who is only five years old. I have banished him and his mother, even though he is a great soul and a great devotee.”
What the purport teaches
- The King admitted that excessive attachment to Suruci had diminished his mercy toward Dhruva Mahārāja.
- He regretted neglecting Sunīti and her five-year-old son. A father should not banish his wife and children or neglect their maintenance.
- Dhruva was mannerly, obedient and a great devotee. There was no justification for neglecting him, and the King was deeply sorry.
Try this today
Offer one concrete act of care to a family member you have overlooked.
Ask yourself
Does favoritism make me neglect someone who deserves my care?
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.