Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 26
Nārada Explains the Allegory of King Purañjana
Deha–Indriya–Manaḥ Mapping and the Remedy of Bhakti
यदात्मानमविज्ञाय भगवन्तं परं गुरुम् । पुरुषस्तु विषज्जेत गुणेषु प्रकृते: स्वदृक् ॥ २६ ॥ गुणाभिमानी स तदा कर्माणि कुरुतेऽवश: । शुक्लं कृष्णं लोहितं वा यथाकर्माभिजायते ॥ २७ ॥
yadātmānam avijñāya bhagavantaṁ paraṁ gurum puruṣas tu viṣajjeta guṇeṣu prakṛteḥ sva-dṛk
The living entity by nature has minute independence to choose his own good or bad fortune, but when he forgets his supreme master, the Personality of Godhead, he gives himself up unto the modes of material nature. Being influenced by the modes of material nature, he identifies himself with the body and, for the interest of the body, becomes attached to various activities. Sometimes he is under the influence of the mode of ignorance, sometimes the mode of passion and sometimes the mode of goodness. The living entity thus gets different types of bodies under the modes of material nature.
These different types of bodies are explained in Bhagavad-gītā (13.22) :
FAQs
This verse explains that when one does not realize the self and the Supreme Lord, one naturally becomes absorbed in prakriti’s modes (gunas) and begins to identify and act under their influence.
Narada emphasizes that the Lord is the ultimate guide; forgetting Him and one’s spiritual identity is the root cause of bondage in material qualities.
Notice how moods, habits, and identities shift with material influence; grounding life in spiritual practice (bhakti, remembrance of the Lord, guidance from guru) helps one stop living as a product of the gunas.