Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.9.31
Ūti· What drives us to actSeek Service, Not Perishable Rewards
“Alas, just look at me! I am so unfortunate. I approached the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can immediately cut the chain of the repetition of birth and death, but still, out of my foolishness, I prayed for things which are perishable.”
What the purport teaches
- Without understanding the soul and our spiritual position, our activities remain in ignorance. Dhruva Mahārāja regretted asking for perishable things.
- Only the Supreme Personality of Godhead can completely stop repeated birth and death. No demigod can offer this benediction.
- Devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be free from material aspirations. Even after receiving the Lord’s mercy, Dhruva lamented having sought material benefits.
Try this today
Chant oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya today, asking for service rather than a material reward.
Ask yourself
Am I approaching the Lord mainly for temporary benefits or for devotional service?
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.