Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.1.7
Mukti· LiberationLeadership Requires Freedom From Selfish Enjoyment
“Svāyambhuva Manu, the husband of Śatarūpā, was by nature not at all attached to enjoyment of the senses. Thus he gave up his kingdom of sense enjoyment and entered the forest with his wife to practice austerities.”
What the purport teaches
- The Manus were rājarṣis: although kings of the world, they were as good as great saints. They understood the supreme science through disciplic succession.
- Svāyambhuva Manu was emperor of the world but had no desire for sense gratification. He gave up his kingdom and entered the forest with Śatarūpā to practice austerities.
- A ruler must be trained not to waste money on sense gratification. The purport warns that government cannot endure without maintaining the state according to Manu-saṁhitā.
Try this today
Forgo one unnecessary expense for personal enjoyment today.
Ask yourself
Where might I be using a position of responsibility mainly for my own enjoyment?
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.