Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.1.41
Mukti· LiberationA Higher Taste Frees Us from Opulence
“As a great follower and devotee of the sage Nārada, Mahārāja Priyavrata considered hellish the opulences he had achieved by dint of fruitive activities and mystic power, whether in the lower or heavenly planetary systems or in human society.”
What the purport teaches
- As a great follower and devotee of Nārada, Mahārāja Priyavrata considered his material opulences hellish. Whether gained through fruitive activities or mystic power, such achievements held no attraction for him.
- A devotee knows that opulences in the lower, heavenly and human planetary systems are all material. Having tasted spiritual bliss, Mahārāja Priyavrata was not interested in any of them.
- Artificial renunciation of material opulences cannot endure; one must have a superior taste in spiritual life. The goal is devotional service, not material achievement.
Try this today
Today, set aside five minutes you would normally spend thinking about material gains, and use them to reflect on Priyavrata’s satisfaction in spiritual bliss.
Ask yourself
How might developing a higher taste in devotional service change what I consider worth achieving?
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.