Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.10.23
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyPerform Duties With the Lord in Mind
“After performing the ritualistic ceremonies, take charge of your father’s kingdom. Sit upon the throne and do not be disturbed by materialistic activities. Please keep your mind fixed upon Me. Without transgressing the injunctions of the Vedas, as a matter of formality you may perform your particular duties.”
What the purport teaches
- One who has fully surrendered to the Lord’s lotus feet is no longer a debtor to forefathers, sages, society or other living beings.
- Nonetheless, Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva instructed Prahlāda to follow the regulative principles because others would follow his example as king.
- A devotee may perform worldly duties without attachment, keeping the mind fixed on the Lord. Prahlāda’s political duties were to help people become the Lord’s devotees.
Try this today
Before one duty today, pause and remember the Lord; then perform it carefully without seeking personal recognition.
Ask yourself
What example does the way I perform my duties give to others?
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.