Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.20.37
Visarga· Brahmā's creationA Name Indicating Shared Responsibility
“Mamatā very much feared being forsaken by her husband for giving birth to an illegitimate son, and therefore she considered giving up the child. But then the demigods solved the problem by enunciating a name for the child.”
What the purport teaches
- Vedic birth ceremonies include jāta-karma and nāma-karaṇa. Learned brāhmaṇas make a horoscope through astrological calculations immediately after a child’s birth.
- Bṛhaspati had made Mamatā pregnant by force, an act the purport describes as irreligious. Fearing rejection by her husband, Mamatā considered giving up the child.
- The demigods gave the child the name Bharadvāja. The purport explains that this name indicated that both Mamatā and Bṛhaspati should maintain him.
Try this today
Identify one responsibility you share with someone, and do your part today rather than leaving it entirely to them.
Ask yourself
When a situation is painful or complicated, can I keep the needs of someone dependent on me in view?
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.