Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.26.20
Ūti· What drives us to actHonor Faithfulness in Sexual Relations
“A man or woman who indulges in sexual intercourse with an unworthy member of the opposite sex is punished after death by the assistants of Yamarāja in the hell known as Taptasūrmi. There such men and women are beaten with whips. The man is forced to embrace a red-hot iron form of a woman, and the woman is forced to embrace a similar form of a man. Such is the punishment for illicit sex.”
What the purport teaches
- The purport teaches that sexual relations should be confined to one’s spouse. The same principle applies to both men and women.
- According to Vedic principles, another man’s wife is to be regarded as one’s mother. The purport strongly forbids sexual relations outside these prescribed boundaries.
- The verse describes punishment for illicit sex in Taptasūrmi, including being forced to embrace a heated iron form. It emphasizes that both men and women are accountable.
Try this today
Set one clear boundary today in your conversations or conduct that supports sexual faithfulness.
Ask yourself
What boundary would help me honor faithfulness and avoid illicit sexual relations?
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.