Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.4.7
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyProtection Extends to All Living Entities
“O greatly fortunate ones, you should not kill these poor trees by burning them to ashes. Your duty is to wish the citizens [prajās] all prosperity and to act as their protectors.”
What the purport teaches
- Soma asks the Pracetās not to burn the poor trees to ashes.
- A ruler’s duty is to wish the citizens prosperity and act as their protector. This protection includes animals, trees and plants, not only human beings.
- The purport states that no living entity should be killed unnecessarily.
Try this today
Avoid one unnecessary act of harm to an animal or plant today.
Ask yourself
Does your sense of responsibility include the animals and plants around you?
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.