Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.5.11
Mukti· LiberationWork for Freedom From Bodily Bondage
“[The Haryaśvas understood the meaning of Nārada’s words as follows.] The word “bhūḥ” [“the earth”] refers to the field of activities. The material body, which is a result of the living being’s actions, is his field of activities, and it gives him false designations. Since time immemorial, he has received various types of material bodies, which are the roots of bondage to the material world. If one foolishly engages in temporary fruitive activities and does not look toward the cessation of this bondage, what will be the benefit of his actions?”
What the purport teaches
- The material body is the living being’s field of activities and gives him false designations. Seeking happiness within it without seeking freedom keeps him in material bondage.
- Human life is meant for acting to become free from this confinement. Without the instructions of Nārada or his representative in the disciplic succession, people pursue flickering, temporary happiness.
- The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement seeks to awaken people to austerity for self-realization and freedom from birth, death, old age and disease. Māyā is strong and puts obstacles in the way of this understanding.
Try this today
Give up one small pursuit of temporary pleasure today and use those minutes to study this teaching on self-realization.
Ask yourself
How much of my effort seeks temporary pleasure, and how much seeks freedom from material bondage?
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.