Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 57
Sāṅkhya Enumeration of Tattvas, Distinction of Puruṣa–Prakṛti, and the Mechanics of Birth and Death
तस्मादुद्धव मा भुङ्क्ष्व विषयानसदिन्द्रियै: । आत्माग्रहणनिर्भातं पश्य वैकल्पिकं भ्रमम् ॥ ५७ ॥
tasmād uddhava mā bhuṅkṣva viṣayān asad-indriyaiḥ ātmāgrahaṇa-nirbhātaṁ paśya vaikalpikaṁ bhramam
অতএব, হে উদ্ধব! অসৎ ইন্দ্রিয় দিয়ে বিষয়ভোগ করতে যেয়ো না। দেখো—দ্বৈততার উপর দাঁড়ানো এই বিকল্পময় মোহ কীভাবে আত্ম-সাক্ষাৎকারকে আচ্ছন্ন করে।
Everything that exists is the potency and property of the Supreme Lord, meant to be used in His loving service. Seeing material objects as separate from the Lord and thus meant to be possessed and enjoyed by oneself is called vaikalpikaṁ bhramam, the illusion of material duality. When selecting one’s personal object of enjoyment, such as food, clothing, residence or vehicle, one considers the relative quality of the object to be acquired. Consequently, in material life one is in constant anxiety, trying to acquire the most excellent sense gratification for one’s personal pleasure. If one realizes everything as the property of the Lord, however, he will see everything as meant for the Lord’s pleasure. He will feel no personal anxiety, because he is satisfied simply to be engaged in the Lord’s loving service. It is not possible to exploit the property of the Lord and at the same time advance in self-realization.
FAQs
This verse says one should not pursue enjoyment through temporary senses; the feeling that the soul is bound is an imagined delusion created by mental misperception.
Krishna is training Uddhava in renunciation and clear self-knowledge, urging him to see bondage as a misconception and to stop feeding the illusion through sense indulgence.
Notice how identity and suffering often arise from thoughts and labels; reduce compulsive sense-driven habits and practice discernment—seeing the self as distinct from changing sensations and mental stories.