Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.18.15
Ūti· What drives us to actCruel Words Stir Anger
“Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When thus rebuked in cruel words, Śarmiṣṭhā was very angry. Breathing heavily like a serpent and biting her lower lip with her teeth, she spoke to the daughter of Śukrācārya as follows.”
What the purport teaches
- Śarmiṣṭhā became very angry when rebuked with cruel words.
- Her anger showed in her body: she breathed heavily like a serpent and bit her lower lip.
- Feeling offended, she began speaking to the daughter of Śukrācārya.
Try this today
If you feel anger today, pause and notice your breathing before replying.
Ask yourself
What signs in my body warn me that I am about to speak in anger?
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.