Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.6.16
Ūti· What drives us to actReal Education Begins With Spiritual Inquiry
“O my friends, sons of demons! In this material world, even those who are apparently advanced in education have the propensity to consider, “This is mine, and that is for others.” Thus they are always engaged in providing the necessities of life to their families in a limited conception of family life, just like uneducated cats and dogs. They are unable to take to spiritual knowledge; instead, they are bewildered and overcome by ignorance.”
What the purport teaches
- A truly educated person seeks to understand his own position in the material world. The essential questions are, “Who am I?” and “What is the goal of my life?”
- Education does not fulfill its purpose if one remains absorbed in “This is mine, and this is yours.” Desire for material enjoyment traps people in their own fruitive activities.
- Prahlāda Mahārāja advises following varṇāśrama-dharma. At a certain stage, one should leave family life and accept renunciation to cultivate spiritual knowledge and become liberated.
Try this today
Write down “Who am I?” and “What is the goal of my life?” Spend five minutes considering them in light of this purport.
Ask yourself
Is my learning helping me understand my identity and the true goal of life?
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.