Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 58
Nārada Instructs Prācīnabarhiṣat: The Purañjana Narrative Begins
City of Nine Gates
क्वचित्पिबन्त्यां पिबति मदिरां मदविह्वल: । अश्नन्त्यां क्वचिदश्नाति जक्षत्यां सह जक्षिति ॥ ५७ ॥ क्वचिद्गायति गायन्त्यां रुदत्यां रुदति क्वचित् । क्वचिद्धसन्त्यां हसति जल्पन्त्यामनु जल्पति ॥ ५८ ॥ क्वचिद्धावति धावन्त्यां तिष्ठन्त्यामनु तिष्ठति । अनु शेते शयानायामन्वास्ते क्वचिदासतीम् ॥ ५९ ॥ क्वचिच्छृणोति शृण्वन्त्यां पश्यन्त्यामनु पश्यति । क्वचिज्जिघ्रति जिघ्रन्त्यां स्पृशन्त्यां स्पृशति क्वचित् ॥ ६० ॥ क्वचिच्च शोचतीं जायामनुशोचति दीनवत् । अनु हृष्यति हृष्यन्त्यां मुदितामनु मोदते ॥ ६१ ॥
kvacit pibantyāṁ pibati madirāṁ mada-vihvalaḥ aśnantyāṁ kvacid aśnāti jakṣatyāṁ saha jakṣiti
When the Queen drank liquor, King Purañjana also engaged in drinking. When the Queen dined, he used to dine with her, and when she chewed, King Purañjana used to chew along with her. When the Queen sang, he also sang. Similarly, when the Queen cried, he also cried, and when the Queen laughed, he also laughed. When the Queen talked loosely, he also talked loosely, and when the Queen walked, the King walked behind her. When the Queen would stand still, the King would also stand still, and when the Queen would lie down in bed, he would also follow and lie down with her. When the Queen sat, he would also sit, and when the Queen heard something, he would follow her to hear the same thing. When the Queen saw something, the King would also look at it, and when the Queen smelled something, the King would follow her to smell the same thing. When the Queen touched something, the King would also touch it, and when the dear Queen was lamenting, the poor King also had to follow her in lamentation. In the same way, when the Queen felt enjoyment, he also enjoyed, and when the Queen was satisfied, the King also felt satisfaction.
The mind is the place where the self is situated, and the mind is conducted by the intelligence. The living entity, situated within the heart, follows the intelligence. The intelligence is herein depicted as the Queen, and the soul, under mental control, follows the material intelligence just as the King follows his wife. The conclusion is that material intelligence is the cause of bondage for the living entity. The point is that one has to take to spiritual intelligence to come out of this entanglement.
FAQs
This verse shows how deep attachment makes one mirror another’s moods and actions—singing, crying, eating—symbolizing the jīva’s absorption in material identity and sense-life.
Śukadeva describes it to illustrate the allegory: the conditioned soul follows the body and mind (represented by the woman), losing independent spiritual awareness.
Notice where your choices merely imitate others’ desires; practice conscious living—sādhana, restraint, and bhakti—so emotions and habits are guided by dharma rather than attachment.