Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.18.27
Ūti· What drives us to actAffection Can Compel Even Great Personalities
“The powerful Śukrācārya was angry for a few moments, but upon being satisfied he said to Vṛṣaparvā: My dear King, kindly fulfill the desire of Devayānī, for she is my daughter and in this world I cannot give her up or neglect her.”
What the purport teaches
- Śukrācārya’s anger lasted only a few moments. Once satisfied, he asked Vṛṣaparvā to fulfill Devayānī’s desire.
- Children naturally depend on their father, and the father has affection for them. Even a great personality like Śukrācārya could not neglect his daughter.
- Śukrācārya knew the quarrel was childish and did not like taking sides. Yet he openly admitted that affection compelled him to ask the King for mercy.
Try this today
Recall one family disagreement and quietly distinguish your affection from your judgment of what happened.
Ask yourself
When does affection make it difficult for me to judge a disagreement fairly?
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.