Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.13.34
Mukti· LiberationLimit Wants and Protect Devotional Service
“Those in human society who are intelligent should give up the original cause of lamentation, illusion, fear, anger, attachment, poverty and unnecessary labor. The original cause of all of these is the desire for unnecessary prestige and money.”
What the purport teaches
- The desire for unnecessary prestige and money causes lamentation, illusion, fear, anger, and needless labor. Vedic civilization directed people toward self-realization while meeting their minimum needs.
- Collecting too much, overendeavoring, and greed for worldly achievements spoil devotional service. Renunciation is meant for full engagement in self-realization, not escape from responsibility or collecting money for enjoyment.
- Money collected for Kṛṣṇa consciousness should support literature, centers, and other needs of the mission. It should be spent for Kṛṣṇa, not for personal sense gratification.
Try this today
Set aside one unnecessary pursuit today and use that time for devotional service.
Ask yourself
Which unnecessary desire for money or recognition is taking time from my devotional service?
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.