Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.9.4
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesRespect Another's Wife as Your Mother
“What to speak of human beings, even the demigods, demons, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Cāraṇas and the various directors of the universe, the Prajāpatis, have never touched You before. It is not that we are unable to understand Your identity.”
What the purport teaches
- Even the demons observed the etiquette that no one should address a married woman with lust.
- Cāṇakya Paṇḍita teaches that one should consider another's wife to be one's mother.
- The demons assumed that Mohinī-mūrti was unmarried and had come to find a husband among those present.
Try this today
In your dealings today, consciously honor another person's marriage through respectful words and conduct.
Ask yourself
How can I make my dealings with others more respectful and free from lust?
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.