Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.7.4
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyAffectionate Leadership Supports Spiritual Advancement
“Mahārāja Bharata was a very learned and experienced king on this earth. He perfectly ruled the citizens, being himself engaged in his own respective duties. Mahārāja Bharata was as affectionate to the citizens as his father and grandfather had been. Keeping them engaged in their occupational duties, he ruled the earth.”
What the purport teaches
- Mahārāja Bharata was learned and experienced, and he faithfully performed his own duties. Like his father and grandfather, he was affectionate toward the citizens.
- The government should keep citizens engaged in their respective occupational duties for spiritual advancement. No one should remain unemployed or unoccupied.
- The purport describes work as a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra, and spiritual life as a brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha or sannyāsī. Affectionate leadership and faithful performance of duties helped society run smoothly.
Try this today
Complete one of your duties today with deliberate care for the people it affects.
Ask yourself
How can I combine care for others with faithful attention to my own duties?
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.