Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.12.9
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyDo Not Overestimate Control of the Senses
“Woman is compared to fire, and man is compared to a butter pot. Therefore a man should avoid associating even with his own daughter in a secluded place. Similarly, he should also avoid association with other women. One should associate with women only for important business and not otherwise.”
What the purport teaches
- The verse compares woman to fire and man to a butter pot: when brought together, the butter melts.
- The purport warns that even someone advanced in sense restraint or in the renounced order may become agitated.
- The verse therefore tells a man to avoid secluded association with women, even his own daughter, and to limit association to important business.
Try this today
Identify one situation that agitates your senses and set a clear boundary around it today.
Ask yourself
Do I ever rely on confidence in my self-control instead of taking sensible precautions?
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.