Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 27
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 identifies with material nature’s modes (goodness, passion, ignorance), one is compelled to act, and those actions (karma) shape one’s next birth within those modes.
Narada was redirecting the king from fruitive ritualism toward self-realization and devotion, showing how identification with the gunas binds the soul to compulsory action and repeated birth.
Notice when identity is driven by passion, ignorance, or even pride in goodness, and shift to God-centered living—offering actions to the Lord and cultivating bhakti—so actions no longer bind the heart.