Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.5.30 · one of the 108 chosen verses
Ūti· What drives us to actUnderstand Kṛṣṇa by Serving His Devotee
“Prahlāda Mahārāja replied: Because of their uncontrolled senses, persons too addicted to materialistic life make progress toward hellish conditions and repeatedly chew that which has already been chewed. Their inclinations toward Kṛṣṇa are never aroused, either by the instructions of others, by their own efforts, or by a combination of both.”
What the purport teaches
- Those whose only aim is bodily comfort repeatedly seek material enjoyment but remain unsatisfied. The verse calls this chewing what has already been chewed.
- Kṛṣṇa cannot be understood by twisting Bhagavad-gītā to serve material purposes. Only through devotional service can one understand Him as He is.
- One must receive training from an unalloyed devotee to understand Kṛṣṇa and His service. Such great souls serve Him knowing Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Try this today
Offer one small act of help today to someone devoted to serving Kṛṣṇa.
Ask yourself
Am I seeking spiritual instruction to serve Kṛṣṇa or merely to improve my material comfort?
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.