Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 4
Purañjana Captivated by Lust; Time (Caṇḍavega) and Old Age (Kālakanyā) Begin the Siege
शयान उन्नद्धमदो महामना महार्हतल्पे महिषीभुजोपधि: । तामेव वीरो मनुते परं यत- स्तमोऽभिभूतो न निजं परं च यत् ॥ ४ ॥
śayāna unnaddha-mado mahā-manā mahārha-talpe mahiṣī-bhujopadhiḥ tām eva vīro manute paraṁ yatas tamo-’bhibhūto na nijaṁ paraṁ ca yat
In this way, increasingly overwhelmed by illusion, King Purañjana, although advanced in consciousness, remained always lying down with his head on the pillow of his wife’s arms. In this way he considered woman to be his ultimate life and soul. Becoming thus overwhelmed by the mode of ignorance, he could not understand the meaning of self-realization, whether regarding his own self or the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Human life is meant for self-realization. First of all one has to realize his own self, which is described in this verse as nijam. Then he has to understand or realize the Supersoul, or Paramātmā, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, when one becomes too much materially attached, he takes a woman to be everything. This is the basic principle of material attachment. In such a condition, one cannot realize his own self or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.5.2) it is therefore said, mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. If one associates with mahātmās, or devotees, his path of liberation is opened. But if one becomes too much attached to women or to persons who are also attached to women — that is, attached to women directly or indirectly — he opens the tamo-dvāram, the door to the darkest region of hellish life.
FAQs
This verse says that when one is covered by tamas (ignorance), one mistakes worldly intimacy and comfort as the highest good, forgetting both the true self (ātman) and the Supreme.
In the Purañjana allegory, it illustrates the conditioned soul’s absorption in bodily pleasure and pride, showing how attachment makes one neglect spiritual identity and God.
Honor relationships, but don’t make them your ultimate shelter; cultivate sādhana (hearing, chanting, prayer) and self-inquiry so comfort and romance do not eclipse devotion and inner awakening.