Shloka 14
The Forest of Material Existence: Jaḍa Bharata Instructs King Rahūgaṇa
तांस्तान् विपन्नान् स हि तत्र तत्र विहाय जातं परिगृह्य सार्थ: । आवर्ततेऽद्यापि न कश्चिदत्र वीराध्वन: पारमुपैति योगम् ॥ १४ ॥
tāṁs tān vipannān sa hi tatra tatra vihāya jātaṁ parigṛhya sārthaḥ āvartate ’dyāpi na kaścid atra vīrādhvanaḥ pāram upaiti yogam
O König, auf dem Waldpfad des materiellen Lebens wird der Mensch zuerst Vater und Mutter beraubt, und nach ihrem Tod hängt er sich an die neugeborenen Kinder. So irrt er auf dem Weg weltlichen Fortschritts umher und gerät schließlich in Verlegenheit und Not; dennoch weiß bis zum Augenblick des Todes niemand, wie man daraus entkommt.
In this material world, family life is an institution of sex. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukham ( Bhāg. 7.9.45 ). Through sex, the father and mother beget children, and the children get married and go down the same path of sexual life. After the death of the father and mother, the children get married and beget their own children. Thus generation after generation these things go on in the same way without anyone’s attaining liberation from the embarrassment of material life. No one accepts the spiritual processes of knowledge and renunciation, which end in bhakti-yoga. Actually human life is meant for jñāna and vairāgya, knowledge and renunciation. Through these one can attain the platform of devotional service. Unfortunately people in this age avoid the association of liberated people ( sādhu-saṅga ) and continue in their stereotyped way of family life. Thus they are embarrassed by the exchange of money and sex.
FAQs
This verse says that like a caravan that abandons the fallen and keeps moving for new gains, worldly life simply revolves; by such material movement one does not reach the far shore—real yoga or liberation.
He uses the caravan as an analogy to show King Rahūgaṇa that material society pursues gain and keeps moving, but it cannot deliver the soul from the dangerous road of repeated birth and death.
Recognize that constant “progress” and accumulation cannot satisfy the soul; prioritize spiritual practice and devotion over endless worldly chasing, aiming for true yoga—connection with the Supreme.