Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.12.20
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyShelter for the Sacred Fire
“A vānaprastha should prepare a thatched cottage or take shelter of a cave in a mountain only to keep the sacred fire, but he should personally practice enduring snowfall, wind, fire, rain and the shining of the sun.”
What the purport teaches
- A vānaprastha may prepare a thatched cottage or take shelter in a mountain cave.
- The stated purpose of this shelter is to maintain the sacred fire.
- Personally, the vānaprastha should practice enduring snow, wind, fire, rain and sunshine.
Try this today
Reflect for one minute on the verse’s distinction between protecting the sacred fire and seeking personal comfort.
Ask yourself
How does this verse distinguish sacred duty from personal comfort?
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.