Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.2.28
Ūti· What drives us to actDo Not Neglect Those Needing Care
“My father and mother were old and had no other son or friend to look after them. Because I did not take care of them, they lived with great difficulty. Alas, like an abominable lower-class man, I ungratefully left them in that condition.”
What the purport teaches
- Ajāmila's elderly parents had no other son or friend to care for them. His abandonment left them in great difficulty.
- According to Vedic civilization, everyone has a responsibility to care for brāhmaṇas, old men, women, children and cows.
- Through his association with a prostitute, Ajāmila had abandoned his duties. He now regretted his ingratitude and considered himself fallen.
Try this today
Contact an elderly parent or another older person you know and offer one specific form of help.
Ask yourself
Is there someone depending on me whose needs I have neglected?
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.