Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.14.19
Ūti· What drives us to actDo Not Let Distress Become Unkindness
“Sometimes, due to bodily hunger and thirst, the conditioned soul becomes so disturbed that he loses his patience and becomes angry with his own beloved sons, daughters and wife. Thus, being unkind to them, he suffers all the more.”
What the purport teaches
- Hunger and thirst can exhaust the conditioned soul’s patience. Becoming angry and unkind toward beloved family members increases his suffering.
- Family happiness is compared to a drop of water in the desert. It cannot satisfy the longing for lasting happiness.
- The purport says that family responsibilities should not be abandoned. Becoming hardened toward affectionate family members is part of the blazing fire of material life.
Try this today
If hunger or thirst makes you irritable today, pause before speaking harshly to a family member.
Ask yourself
When bodily discomfort tests my patience, how do I treat those closest to me?
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.