Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.17.18
Ūti· What drives us to actDevotional Service Frees Us from Karma
“Deluded by ignorance, the living entity wanders in the forest of this material world, enjoying the happiness and distress resulting from his past deeds, everywhere and at all times. [Therefore, my dear mother, neither you nor I am to be blamed for this incident.]”
What the purport teaches
- Bewildered by ignorance, the conditioned soul wanders through material existence. Everywhere he experiences happiness and distress resulting from past deeds.
- Although material nature carries out activities through its modes, the bewildered soul thinks himself the doer. In conditioned life, he is under nature’s control.
- The only remedy for escaping the wheel of karma is bhakti-mārga, devotional service or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One should surrender to Kṛṣṇa.
Try this today
Set aside a few minutes today for devotional service, consciously offering that time to Kṛṣṇa.
Ask yourself
When do I forget my dependence and imagine that I independently control everything?
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.