Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.13.4
Ūti· What drives us to actLust Clouds Awareness of Consequences
“My dear King, the merchant on the forest path of the material world, his intelligence victimized by home, wealth, relatives and so forth, runs from one place to another in search of success. Sometimes his eyes are covered by the dust of a whirlwind — that is to say, in his lust he is captivated by the beauty of his wife, especially during her menstrual period. Thus his eyes are blinded, and he cannot see where to go or what he is doing.”
What the purport teaches
- Attachment to home, wealth and relatives sends the conditioned soul running in search of success. Lust clouds his vision like dust raised by a whirlwind.
- The purport contrasts lust-driven activity with regulated householder life. A person overwhelmed by sexual desire loses sight of what he is doing and where he is going.
- Material activities are witnessed by the demigods, especially the sun-god, and recorded for the karma of one's next body. A lusty person neglects these consequences while satisfying his desires.
Try this today
Before acting on one strong desire today, pause and consider its consequences rather than only its immediate pleasure.
Ask yourself
When desire becomes strong, do I still consider the consequences of my actions?
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.