Shloka 6
Ṛṣabhadeva Instructs His Sons: Tapasya, Mahātmā-Sevā, and Cutting the Heart-Knot
एवं मन: कर्मवशं प्रयुङ्क्ते अविद्ययाऽऽत्मन्युपधीयमाने । प्रीतिर्न यावन्मयि वासुदेवे न मुच्यते देहयोगेन तावत् ॥ ६ ॥
evaṁ manaḥ karma-vaśaṁ prayuṅkte avidyayātmany upadhīyamāne prītir na yāvan mayi vāsudeve na mucyate deha-yogena tāvat
هكذا يكون الكائن الحيّ، إذا غطّته الجهالة، مُسخَّرَ الذهن تحت سلطان الكَرْما والعمل لثماره. فما لم ينهض الحبّ التعبّدي نحوي أنا فاسوديفا، فلن يتحرّر من اتخاذ جسدٍ ماديّ مرارًا وتكرارًا.
When the mind is polluted by fruitive activity, the living entity wants to be elevated from one material position to another. Generally everyone is involved in working hard day and night to improve his economic condition. Even when one understands the Vedic rituals, he becomes interested in promotion to heavenly planets, not knowing that one’s real interest lies in returning home, back to Godhead. By acting on the platform of fruitive activity, one wanders throughout the universe in different species and forms. Unless he comes in contact with a devotee of the Lord, a guru, he does not become attached to the service of Lord Vāsudeva. Knowledge of Vāsudeva requires many births to understand. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (7.19) : vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. After struggling for existence for many births one may take shelter at the lotus feet of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. When this happens, one actually becomes wise and surrenders unto Him. That is the only way to stop the repetition of birth and death. This is confirmed in Caitanya-caritāmṛta ( Madhya 19.151) in the instructions given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī at Daśāśvamedha-ghāṭa.
FAQs
This verse states that one is not freed from the bondage of bodily identification as long as loving devotion (prīti) for Vāsudeva does not awaken.
Because he teaches his sons that karma-driven activity fueled by ignorance keeps the soul bound, and only loving devotion to Vāsudeva breaks that bondage at its root.
Notice when the mind is pulled by habitual reactions, and deliberately redirect attention and affection toward Vāsudeva through nāma-japa, prayer, and devotional service—cultivating prīti rather than mere moral effort.