Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.4.1
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesUnderstand Before Making Assumptions
“Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The son of Nabhaga named Nābhāga lived for a long time at the place of his spiritual master. Therefore, his brothers thought that he was not going to become a gṛhastha and would not return. Consequently, without providing a share for him, they divided the property of their father among themselves. When Nābhāga returned from the place of his spiritual master, they gave him their father as his share.”
What the purport teaches
- There are two kinds of brahmacārīs: one may return home and marry, while the other vows to remain a brahmacārī perpetually.
- The lifelong brahmacārī, called bṛhad-vrata, stays at the spiritual master’s place and later directly takes sannyāsa.
- Because Nābhāga stayed away for a long time, his brothers assumed he would not return. They kept no property for him and later gave him their father as his share.
Try this today
Before making one decision involving another person today, ask about their intentions.
Ask yourself
When might I be treating an assumption about someone as a fact?
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.