Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.26.9
Ūti· What drives us to actDeceit Against Another’s Family Has Grave Consequences
“The destination of a person who slyly cheats another man and enjoys his wife and children is the hell known as Andhatāmisra. There his condition is exactly like that of a tree being chopped at its roots. Even before reaching Andhatāmisra, the sinful living being is subjected to various extreme miseries. These afflictions are so severe that he loses his intelligence and sight. It is for this reason that learned sages call this hell Andhatāmisra.”
What the purport teaches
- A person who slyly cheats another man and enjoys his wife and children goes to Andhatāmisra.
- His condition is compared to a tree being chopped at its roots. Extreme suffering begins even before he reaches that hell.
- The afflictions cause him to lose his intelligence and sight. For this reason, learned sages call this hell Andhatāmisra.
Try this today
Review one interaction involving another person’s family and make sure your words and intentions are free from deceit.
Ask yourself
Am I being truthful and respectful in dealings that affect another person’s family?
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.