Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.22.9
Mukti· LiberationUse Your Life for Devotional Service
“What is the use of the material body, which automatically leaves its owner at the end of life? And what is the use of all one’s family members, who are actually plunderers taking away money that is useful for the service of the Lord in spiritual opulence? What is the use of a wife? She is only the source of increasing material conditions. And what is the use of family, home, country and community? Attachment for them merely wastes the valuable energy of one’s lifetime.”
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, asks us to surrender unto Him. Prahlāda Mahārāja and Bali Mahārāja show that taking His shelter is the intelligent course.
- The soul is eternal, but the body cannot continue eternally. The body should be used for advancement in devotional service rather than for wasting time.
- Attachment to body, family, home and wealth increases the illusion of “I and mine.” Human life is meant for self-realization, and what we have should be used in the Lord’s service.
Try this today
Set aside ten minutes today to use your time and energy specifically for devotional service.
Ask yourself
How can I use my time, body or home more directly in Kṛṣṇa’s service?
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.