Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.14.26
Ūti· What drives us to actCitraketu’s Concern Extended to His Forefathers
“Therefore, O great sage, please save me and my forefathers, who are descending to the darkness of hell because I have no progeny. Kindly do something so that I may have a son to deliver us from hellish conditions.”
What the purport teaches
- According to Vedic civilization, marriage is meant for having a son who can offer oblations to his forefathers.
- Citraketu responsibly desired a child to deliver both himself and his forefathers from the darkest regions.
- He was concerned about receiving piṇḍa, or oblations, in the next life. He therefore asked Aṅgirā Ṛṣi to help him obtain a son.
Try this today
When considering a need today, name one other person whose welfare is also involved.
Ask yourself
Do my requests for help include concern for others, or only for myself?
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.