Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.20.36
Ūti· What drives us to actLearning Alone Does Not Prevent Agitation
“When the demigod named Bṛhaspati was attracted by his brother’s wife, Mamatā, who at that time was pregnant, he desired to have sexual relations with her. The son within her womb forbade this, but Bṛhaspati cursed him and forcibly discharged semen into the womb of Mamatā.”
What the purport teaches
- Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the sex impulse is very strong in this material world. It can agitate even a learned personality.
- Bṛhaspati was the priest of the demigods and a very learned scholar, yet he desired his brother’s pregnant wife.
- The child within Mamatā’s womb forbade his action, but Bṛhaspati cursed him and acted by force. Even the society of higher demigods is not free from such agitation.
Try this today
If a strong desire agitates you today, pause before acting and consider whether your action would disregard another person’s objection.
Ask yourself
Do I assume that knowledge alone makes me safe from strong impulses?
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.