Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.13.3
Ūti· What drives us to actRecognize Devotion Beyond Birth and Appearance
“Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī: O great sage, what was the reason for Indra’s unhappiness? I wish to hear about this. When he killed Vṛtrāsura, all the demigods were extremely happy. Why, then, was Indra himself unhappy?”
What the purport teaches
- Mahārāja Parīkṣit intelligently asked why Indra was unhappy while the demigods rejoiced. Indra knew that he had killed a great devotee and brāhmaṇa.
- Vṛtrāsura outwardly appeared to be a demon, but his dealings showed his devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. After the battle, he became an associate of Saṅkarṣaṇa in Vaikuṇṭhaloka.
- One should not judge someone as a demigod or demon simply by birth. A Vaiṣṇava is already a brāhmaṇa, but even a learned brāhmaṇa cannot be a guru unless he is a Vaiṣṇava.
Try this today
Reflect on one judgment you have made about someone’s background, and reconsider it in light of their devotional qualities.
Ask yourself
Do I give more importance to someone’s birth and appearance than to their devotion?
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.