Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.14.32
Ūti· What drives us to actMomentary Pleasure Can Deepen Material Bondage
“Just as a monkey jumps from one tree to another, the conditioned soul jumps from one body to another. As the monkey is ultimately captured by the hunter and is unable to get out of captivity, the conditioned soul, being captivated by momentary sex pleasure, becomes attached to different types of bodies and is encaged in family life. Family life affords the conditioned soul a festival of momentary sex pleasure, and thus he is completely unable to get out of the material clutches.”
What the purport teaches
- Eating, sleeping, mating and defending are available in every form of life. These bodily necessities do not distinguish the human opportunity.
- Like a monkey jumping from tree to tree, the conditioned soul moves from one body to another. Attachment to sexual pleasure continues through these changes.
- Momentary pleasure can keep the conditioned soul bound to bodily and family attachments. Absorbed in this enjoyment, one forgets how to become free from material captivity.
Try this today
Pause before one pleasure-seeking activity today and consider whether it strengthens your bodily attachment.
Ask yourself
Does my pursuit of momentary pleasure make me forget freedom from material bondage?
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.