Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.14.44-45
Ūti· What drives us to actRemember the Lord While Performing Worship
“When the process of fruitive yajña became manifest within his heart, King Purūravā went to the same spot where he had left Agnisthālī. There he saw that from the womb of a śamī tree, an aśvattha tree had grown. He then took a piece of wood from that tree and made it into two araṇis. Desiring to go to the planet where Urvaśī resided, he chanted mantras, meditating upon the lower araṇi as Urvaśī, the upper one as himself, and the piece of wood between them as his son. In this way he began to ignite a fire.”
What the purport teaches
- The Vedic sacrificial fire was produced by friction using sacred pieces of wood called araṇis, rather than ordinary matches.
- A successful yajña fulfills its performer’s desire. Purūravā used this process because he wanted to reach Urvaśī’s planet and have children with her.
- Even while performing yajña, Purūravā thought of Urvaśī instead of Yajñeśvara, Lord Viṣṇu, the master of yajña. His strong desire for sense enjoyment occupied his heart.
Try this today
Before worship today, pause and consciously turn your attention toward Lord Viṣṇu rather than a personal desire.
Ask yourself
What desires draw my attention away from the Lord during worship?
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.