Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 4
Citraketu’s Detachment, Nārada’s Mantra, and the Darśana of Anantadeva
जीव उवाच कस्मिञ्जन्मन्यमी मह्यं पितरो मातरोऽभवन् । कर्मभिर्भ्राम्यमाणस्य देवतिर्यङ्नृयोनिषु ॥ ४ ॥
jīva uvāca kasmiñ janmany amī mahyaṁ pitaro mātaro ’bhavan karmabhir bhrāmyamāṇasya deva-tiryaṅ-nṛ-yoniṣu
By the mystic power of Nārada Muni, the living entity reentered his dead body for a short time and spoke in reply to Nārada Muni’s request. He said: According to the results of my fruitive activities, I, the living being, transmigrate from one body to another, sometimes going to the species of the demigods, sometimes to the species of lower animals, sometimes among the vegetables, and sometimes to the human species. Therefore, in which birth were these my mother and father? No one is actually my mother and father. How can I accept these two people as my parents?
Here it is made clear that the living being enters a material body that is like a machine created by the five gross elements of material nature (earth, water, fire, air and sky) and the three subtle elements (mind, intelligence and ego). As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā, there are two separate identities, called the inferior and superior natures, which both belong to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. According to the results of a living entity’s fruitive actions, he is forced to enter the material elements in different types of bodies.
FAQs
This verse states that the jīva wanders through demigod, animal, and human births, being propelled by its own karma (actions and reactions).
To show that bodily relationships are temporary across many lifetimes; the same jīva takes many births, meeting countless 'parents' due to karmic movement.
It encourages detachment and compassion: love others without possessiveness, and focus on spiritual identity beyond changing family roles.