Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.19.17
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyUse Only What You Need
“O King, controller of the entire universe, although you are very munificent and are able to give Me as much land as I want, I do not want anything from you that is unnecessary. If a learned brāhmaṇa takes charity from others only according to his needs, he does not become entangled in sinful activities.”
What the purport teaches
- All property belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His children have the right to use it, but no one may take more than necessary.
- Taking and spending extravagantly bring distress and sinful entanglement. Brāhmaṇas and sannyāsīs who depend on others must especially avoid accepting excess charity.
- Vāmanadeva was an ideal beggar because He asked only for three paces of land. Yet His inconceivable prowess allows His footsteps to cover the entire universe.
Try this today
Before one purchase or serving of food today, pause and take only what you actually need.
Ask yourself
Where are you taking or using more of the Lord’s property than you need?
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.