Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.19.14
Mukti· LiberationServe Kṛṣṇa Without Material Attachment
“Materialists are generally very attached to their present bodily comforts and to the bodily comforts they expect in the future. Therefore they are always absorbed in thoughts of their wives, children and wealth and are afraid of giving up their bodies, which are full of stool and urine. If a person engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, however, is also afraid of giving up his body, what is the use of his having labored to study the śāstras? It was simply a waste of time.”
What the purport teaches
- Attachment to bodily comforts, family and wealth makes a materialist unwilling to give up the body. Anxiety about those left behind absorbs the mind at death.
- The secret of success in yoga is freedom from bodily attachments. Studying Vedic literature and practicing bhakti-yoga must lead beyond fear of losing the body.
- A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must fully discharge devotional duties without material attachment. The purport states that liberation is then guaranteed.
Try this today
Complete one devotional duty today without delaying it for a nonessential bodily comfort.
Ask yourself
Is my spiritual study helping me serve with less attachment to bodily comfort?
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.