Shloka 39
Nārada Instructs Prācīnabarhiṣat: The Purañjana Narrative Begins
City of Nine Gates
धर्मो ह्यत्रार्थकामौ च प्रजानन्दोऽमृतं यश: । लोका विशोका विरजा यान्न केवलिनो विदु: ॥ ३९ ॥
dharmo hy atrārtha-kāmau ca prajānando ’mṛtaṁ yaśaḥ lokā viśokā virajā yān na kevalino viduḥ
The woman continued: In this world, the householder āśrama grants happiness in dharma, artha, and kāma, along with the joy of children and descendants. Thereafter arise desires for liberation and for good repute. By the fruits of sacrifice one attains higher worlds. Such material happiness is scarcely known to the renounced transcendentalists; they cannot even imagine it.
According to Vedic instructions, there are two paths for human activities. One is called pravṛtti-mārga, and the other is called nivṛtti-mārga. The basic principle for either of these paths is religious life. In animal life there is only pravṛtti-mārga. Pravṛtti-mārga means sense enjoyment, and nivṛtti-mārga means spiritual advancement. In the life of animals and demons, there is no conception of nivṛtti-mārga, nor is there any actual conception of pravṛtti-mārga. Pravṛtti-mārga maintains that even though one has the propensity for sense gratification, he can gratify his senses according to the directions of the Vedic injunctions. For example, everyone has the propensity for sex life, but in demoniac civilization sex is enjoyed without restriction. According to Vedic culture, sex is enjoyed under Vedic instructions. Thus the Vedas give direction to civilized human beings to enable them to satisfy their propensities for sense gratification.
FAQs
This verse states that dharma, prosperity (artha), and lawful enjoyment (kāma) can exist in a higher, purified context—yet the ultimate realms are sorrowless and passionless, pointing beyond material goals toward spiritual realization.
He contrasts the Bhagavatam’s vision of higher, purified realms with the limited comprehension of those focused only on impersonal liberation; such kevalins do not fully grasp the nature of these viśoka, viraja destinations.
Cultivate a life of dharma with regulated desires, and reduce passion-driven habits through sādhana—hearing and chanting, self-control, and service—so the mind becomes calmer, less sorrowful, and more spiritually oriented.