Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.26.22
Ūti· What drives us to actResponsibility Requires Faithfulness to Religious Duty
“A person who is born into a responsible family — such as a kṣatriya, a member of royalty or a government servant — but who neglects to execute his prescribed duties according to religious principles, and who thus becomes degraded, falls down at the time of death into the river of hell known as Vaitaraṇī. This river, which is a moat surrounding hell, is full of ferocious aquatic animals. When a sinful man is thrown into the river Vaitaraṇī, the aquatic animals there immediately begin to eat him, but because of his extremely sinful life, he does not leave his body. He constantly remembers his sinful activities and suffers terribly in that river, which is full of stool, urine, pus, blood, hair, nails, bones, marrow, flesh and fat.”
What the purport teaches
- A responsible position brings prescribed duties that must be performed according to religious principles. The verse names royalty, kṣatriyas and government servants.
- Those who neglect these duties and become degraded fall into Vaitaraṇī after death. A privileged position does not protect them from consequences.
- In that river, the sinful person suffers while constantly remembering his sinful activities. The description stresses the seriousness of abandoning religious responsibility.
Try this today
Choose one neglected duty and complete a specific part of it carefully today.
Ask yourself
Which responsibility in my life needs more faithful attention?
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.