Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.8.9
Ūti· What drives us to actCare Without Abandoning Spiritual Practice
“The great King Mahārāja Bharata began to think: Alas, this helpless young deer, by the force of time, an agent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has now lost its relatives and friends and has taken shelter of me. It does not know anyone but me, as I have become its father, mother, brother and relatives. This deer is thinking in this way, and it has full faith in me. It does not know anyone but me; therefore I should not be envious and think that for the deer my own welfare will be destroyed. I should certainly raise, protect, gratify and fondle it. When it has taken shelter with me, how can I neglect it? Even though the deer is disturbing my spiritual life, I realize that a helpless person who has taken shelter cannot be neglected. That would be a great fault.”
What the purport teaches
- Bharata thought the deer depended entirely on him and that neglecting it would be a great fault, even though its care disturbed his spiritual life.
- A person advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness naturally feels sympathy for suffering living entities. True sympathy seeks to elevate people from material consciousness to spiritual consciousness.
- By Kṛṣṇa’s grace, we may help others spiritually if we ourselves follow the rules and regulations. Giving up spiritual activities solely for others’ bodily comfort places us in danger.
Try this today
Protect one scheduled devotional activity today while also fulfilling your responsibility to someone in your care.
Ask yourself
Am I using responsibility for someone else as a reason to neglect my spiritual activities?
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.