Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.14.5
Mukti· LiberationLive Simply and Inquire About Life’s Goal
“While working to earn his livelihood as much as necessary to maintain body and soul together, one who is actually learned should live in human society unattached to family affairs, although externally appearing very much attached.”
What the purport teaches
- An actually learned person earns only as much as necessary for maintenance. Such a person lives in society without inward attachment to family affairs, although outwardly appearing attached.
- One may remain in one’s position while inquiring about life’s goal. Human life should not be wasted in unnecessary indulgence in eating, sleeping, mating and defending.
- A sincere devotee seeks a simple livelihood rather than more and more money, and Kṛṣṇa helps him. The real problem is freedom from birth, death and old age, not finding unnecessary necessities.
Try this today
Remove one unnecessary purchase from today’s shopping plans and use the saved time to study these teachings.
Ask yourself
Which of my supposed necessities is making life more complicated without helping its real purpose?
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.