Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.8.20
Ūti· What drives us to actStrong Affection Became Illusion
“That deer is exactly like a prince. When will it return? When will it again display its personal activities, which are so pleasing? When will it again pacify a wounded heart like mine? I certainly must have no pious assets, otherwise the deer would have returned by now.”
What the purport teaches
- Out of strong affection, the King accepted the small deer as though it were a prince. The purport calls this moha, or illusion.
- Anxiety over the deer's absence led him to address it as though it were his son.
- He longed for its pleasing activities to soothe his wounded heart. The purport notes that affection can lead anyone to address another as anything.
Try this today
Reflect on one affectionate label you use and consider whether it expresses care or also reveals an imagined relationship.
Ask yourself
How might strong affection influence the roles or qualities you assign to another being?
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.