Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.2.27
Ūti· What drives us to actSincere Regret Supports Pure Devotion
“Alas, all condemnation upon me! I acted so sinfully that I degraded my family tradition. Indeed, I gave up my chaste and beautiful young wife to have sexual intercourse with a fallen prostitute accustomed to drinking wine. All condemnation upon me!”
What the purport teaches
- Ajāmila condemned his sinful conduct, remembering how he had abandoned his chaste wife and degraded his family tradition.
- By the grace of the Lord and the spiritual master, one rises to devotional service and regrets past sinful activities. Such regret helps one advance in spiritual life.
- The purport says that a devotee should give up illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. One should also continue to regret past sinful acts rather than merely leave the habits behind.
Try this today
Identify one past wrong you sincerely regret, and choose one concrete step today to avoid repeating it.
Ask yourself
Does my regret lead me to give up harmful habits and advance in devotional service?
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.