Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 3
Varṣa-devatā Worship in Jambūdvīpa: Hayagrīva/Hayaśīrṣa, Nṛsiṁha, Kāmadeva (Pradyumna), Matsya, Kūrma, and Varāha
अहो विचित्रं भगवद्विचेष्टितंघ्नन्तं जनोऽयं हि मिषन्न पश्यति । ध्यायन्नसद्यर्हि विकर्म सेवितुंनिर्हृत्य पुत्रं पितरं जिजीविषति ॥ ३ ॥
aho vicitraṁ bhagavad-viceṣṭitaṁ ghnantaṁ jano ’yaṁ hi miṣan na paśyati dhyāyann asad yarhi vikarma sevituṁ nirhṛtya putraṁ pitaraṁ jijīviṣati
Ach! Wie wunderlich ist die Lila des Herrn: Dieser törichte Materialist sieht die große Gefahr des nahenden Todes und sieht doch nicht. Er weiß, dass der Tod gewiss kommt, bleibt aber gleichgültig. Stirbt der Vater, will er des Vaters Besitz genießen; stirbt der Sohn, will er auch dessen Besitz genießen. So sammelt er durch sündhafte Taten Geld und jagt materiellem Glück nach.
Material happiness means to have good facilities for eating, sleeping, sexual intercourse and defense. Within this world, the materialistic person lives only for these four principles of sense gratification, not caring for the impending danger of death. After his father’s death, a son tries to inherit his money and use it for sense gratification. Similarly, one whose son dies tries to enjoy the possessions of his son. Sometimes the father of a dead son even enjoys his son’s widow. Materialistic persons behave in this way. Thus Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, “How wonderful are these pastimes of material happiness transacted by the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead!” In other words, materialistic persons want to commit all kinds of sinful activities, but without the sanction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, no one can do anything. Why does the Supreme Personality of Godhead permit sinful activities? The Supreme Lord does not want any living being to act sinfully, and He begs him through his good conscience to refrain from sin. But when someone insists upon acting sinfully, the Supreme Lord gives him the sanction to act at his own risk ( mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca ). No one can do anything without the sanction of the Lord, but He is so kind that when the conditioned soul persists in doing something, the Lord permits the individual soul to act at his own risk.
FAQs
This verse says that although death is visibly taking everyone away, people still fail to truly recognize the lesson and continue living as if they will not be taken next.
He highlights the paradox that the Lord’s māyā makes conditioned souls overlook the most obvious truth—mortality—and thus remain absorbed in temporary hopes and fears.
Remember life’s uncertainty daily, reduce vikarma (harmful habits), and prioritize bhakti and dharma now rather than postponing spiritual practice.