Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.13.11
Ūti· What drives us to actBuild an Atmosphere Without Envy
“Sometimes the living entity is busy counteracting the natural disturbances of freezing cold, scorching heat, strong wind, excessive rainfall and so forth. When he is unable to do so, he becomes very unhappy. Sometimes he is cheated in business transactions one after another. In this way, by cheating, living entities create enmity among themselves.”
What the purport teaches
- The struggle for existence includes trying to counteract cold, heat, wind and rain. When these efforts fail, the living entity becomes unhappy.
- Cheating in business creates mutual enmity. The purport describes material society as filled with people who envy one another.
- The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement aims to create an atmosphere of non-envy. Even if everyone does not become Kṛṣṇa conscious, an exemplary society without envy can be formed.
Try this today
In one exchange today, be deliberately honest and avoid seeking an unfair advantage.
Ask yourself
In which relationship could I replace envy with honest goodwill?
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.