Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.4.45
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesCorrection Should Seek the Child’s Welfare
“A father and mother are always affectionate to their children. When the children are disobedient the parents chastise them, not due to enmity but only for the child’s instruction and welfare. How did Hiraṇyakaśipu, the father of Prahlāda Mahārāja, chastise such a noble son? This is what I am eager to know.”
What the purport teaches
- A father and mother are affectionate toward their children.
- When parents chastise disobedient children, the purpose is instruction and welfare, not enmity.
- The question here is why Hiraṇyakaśipu chastised such a noble son as Prahlāda Mahārāja.
Try this today
Before offering any correction today, pause and choose words intended to help rather than hurt.
Ask yourself
When you correct someone, are you seeking their welfare rather than expressing hostility?
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.