Shloka 55
Nārada Instructs Prācīnabarhiṣat: The Purañjana Narrative Begins
City of Nine Gates
स यर्ह्यन्त:पुरगतो विषूचीनसमन्वित: । मोहं प्रसादं हर्षं वा याति जायात्मजोद्भवम् ॥ ५५ ॥
sa yarhy antaḥpura-gato viṣūcīna-samanvitaḥ mohaṁ prasādaṁ harṣaṁ vā yāti jāyātmajodbhavam
Whenever he entered his private quarters, he was accompanied by his chief attendant—the mind—named Viṣūcīna. At that time, from wife and children there arose within him illusion, contentment, and joy.
According to the Vedic conclusion, one’s self is situated within the heart. As stated in Vedic language, hṛdy ayam ātmā pratiṣṭhitaḥ: the self is situated within the heart. In the material condition, however, the spirit soul is covered by the material qualities — namely goodness, passion and darkness — and within the heart these three qualities react. For instance, when one is in goodness, he feels happiness; when one is in passion, he feels satisfaction through material enjoyment; and when one is in darkness, he feels bewilderment. All these activities are of the mind, and they function on the platform of thinking, feeling and willing.
FAQs
This verse explains that when one turns inward under the influence of uncontrolled senses, one’s emotions—bewilderment, satisfaction, and excitement—arise from attachment to spouse and offspring, reinforcing material bondage.
In the allegory, the ‘inner chambers’ indicate private enjoyment and mental absorption; the ‘misedirected’ senses pull the living being toward pleasure-seeking, producing shifting emotions rather than steady spiritual happiness.
Notice how moods rise and fall with family-centered gratification and sensory impulses; practice sense restraint, devotional remembrance, and duty without possessiveness to reduce moha and gain inner steadiness.