Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.4.45
Ūti· What drives us to actDevotion Surpasses Mystic Accomplishment
“Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, you have invited me to eat as a guest, but instead of feeding me, you yourself have eaten first. Because of your misbehavior, I shall show you something to punish you.”
What the purport teaches
- Durvāsā Muni accused Mahārāja Ambarīṣa of eating before feeding his invited guest and threatened to punish him.
- The purport teaches that a devotee cannot be defeated by a so-called mystic yogī. Durvāsā Muni’s attempt to chastise the King would fail.
- Without pure devotion to the Supreme Lord, even a great mystic, philosopher or fruitive worker has no good qualifications. The purport places devotion above these accomplishments.
Try this today
Set aside a brief moment today for devotion to the Supreme Lord rather than pursuing recognition.
Ask yourself
Do I value devotion to the Supreme Lord more than impressive abilities or achievements?
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.