Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.22.24
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionWealth Must Not Obscure the Lord
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Lord Brahmā, because of material opulence a foolish person becomes dull-witted and mad. Thus he has no respect for anyone within the three worlds and defies even My authority. To such a person I show special favor by first taking away all his possessions.”
What the purport teaches
- Material opulence can make a foolish person proud and dull-minded. He may lose respect for others and even reject the Lord’s authority.
- Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that a civilization made godless by material advancement is extremely dangerous.
- To show special favor, the Lord sometimes takes away a person’s possessions. Here He gives Bali Mahārāja as an example.
Try this today
Name one possession you feel proud of and pause to acknowledge the Lord’s authority over your life.
Ask yourself
Do my possessions ever make me feel independent of the Lord?
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.