Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.20.33
Mukti· LiberationChoose Spiritual Advancement Over Material Enjoyment
“As the ruler of the entire universe, Emperor Bharata had the opulences of a great kingdom and unconquerable soldiers. His sons and family had seemed to him to be his entire life. But finally he thought of all this as an impediment to spiritual advancement, and therefore he ceased from enjoying it.”
What the purport teaches
- Mahārāja Bharata possessed incomparable sovereignty, wealth and unconquerable soldiers. His sons and family had seemed to be his entire life.
- When he recognized these material opulences as impediments to spiritual advancement, he ceased enjoying them.
- The purport says that Vedic civilization directs one, after a certain age, to follow Bharata’s example. One should retire from material enjoyment and take the order of vānaprastha.
Try this today
Set aside one optional material enjoyment today and use that time for spiritual study.
Ask yourself
Which attachment to enjoyment most distracts you from spiritual advancement?
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.