Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.2.9
Ūti· What drives us to actGuidance Should Offer Relief Through Atonement
“Although Pṛṣadhra had committed the sin unknowingly, his family priest, Vasiṣṭha, cursed him, saying, “In your next life you shall not be able to become a kṣatriya. Instead, you shall take birth as a śūdra because of killing the cow.””
What the purport teaches
- Although Pṛṣadhra killed the cow unknowingly, Vasiṣṭha cursed him to take birth as a śūdra rather than a kṣatriya.
- The purport says Vasiṣṭha should have taken the offense very lightly. A family priest’s duty is to give a disciple relief through atonement, not to curse him.
- The purport observes that Vasiṣṭha appeared not to be free from tamo-guṇa, the mode of ignorance. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura therefore describes his intelligence as not very good.
Try this today
In responding to a mistake today, suggest one constructive way to make amends instead of speaking harshly.
Ask yourself
When someone makes an unintentional mistake, do you seek to help them make amends?
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.