Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.3.1
Ūti· What drives us to actSeek Service, Not the Lord’s Position
“Nārada Muni said to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira: The demoniac king Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted to be unconquerable and free from old age and dwindling of the body. He wanted to gain all the yogic perfections like aṇimā and laghimā, to be deathless, and to be the only king of the entire universe, including Brahmaloka.”
What the purport teaches
- Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted freedom from old age and death, all yogic perfections, and unrivaled rule over the universe. His austerities served these self-interested goals.
- Self-interested persons may use a benediction against even their benefactor. The Vaiṣṇava instead wants to remain an ever-existing servant of the Lord, never to occupy His position.
- Through sāyujya-mukti, generally demanded by asuras, one merges into the Lord’s existence. The purport explains that one falls down again to struggle in material existence.
Try this today
Before one act of devotional service today, pause and consciously choose service rather than personal recognition.
Ask yourself
Do I seek spiritual progress to gain power, or to remain a servant of the Lord?
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.