Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.18.11
Ūti· What drives us to actDevayānī Expresses Her Anger Through Insults
“Oh, just see the activities of this servant-maid Śarmiṣṭhā! Disregarding all etiquette, she has put on my dress, just like a dog snatching clarified butter meant for use in a sacrifice.”
What the purport teaches
- Devayānī calls Śarmiṣṭhā a servant-maid and draws attention to her conduct.
- She accuses Śarmiṣṭhā of disregarding etiquette by wearing her dress.
- She compares Śarmiṣṭhā's action to a dog snatching clarified butter intended for a sacrifice.
Try this today
If you need to express displeasure today, describe the action without using a degrading comparison.
Ask yourself
When you feel wronged, do your words address the action or insult the person?
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.