Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.8.5-6
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutySagara Obeys His Spiritual Master
“Sagara Mahārāja, following the order of his spiritual master, Aurva, did not kill the uncivilized men like the Tālajaṅghas, Yavanas, Śakas, Haihayas and Barbaras. Instead, some of them he made dress awkwardly, some of them he shaved clean but allowed to wear mustaches, some of them he left wearing loose hair, some he half shaved, some he left without underwear, and some without external garments. Thus these different clans were made to dress differently, but King Sagara did not kill them.”
What the purport teaches
- Following the order of his spiritual master, Aurva, Sagara Mahārāja did not kill the Tālajaṅghas, Yavanas, Śakas, Haihayas and Barbaras.
- Instead, he imposed different forms of dress and grooming on these clans.
- Although their treatment differed, Sagara spared their lives in obedience to his spiritual master.
Try this today
Write down the action Sagara refrained from because of Aurva’s order.
Ask yourself
What does Sagara’s restraint show about the influence of his spiritual master’s instruction?
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.