Shloka 34
The Fall of Purañjana and the Supersoul as the Eternal Friend
Purañjana-Upākhyāna Culmination
हित्वा गृहान् सुतान् भोगान् वैदर्भी मदिरेक्षणा । अन्वधावत पाण्ड्येशं ज्योत्स्नेव रजनीकरम् ॥ ३४ ॥
hitvā gṛhān sutān bhogān vaidarbhī madirekṣaṇā anvadhāvata pāṇḍyeśaṁ jyotsneva rajanī-karam
Abandoning home, children, and worldly pleasures, the Vidarbhī queen with enchanting eyes followed the Pāṇḍya king—just as moonlight follows the moon at night.
Just as in the vānaprastha stage the wife follows the husband, similarly when the spiritual master retires for nirjana-bhajana, some of his advanced devotees follow him and engage in his personal service. In other words, those who are very fond of family life should come forward in the service of the spiritual master and abandon so-called happiness afforded by society, friendship and love. A verse by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura in his Gurv-aṣṭaka is significant in this regard: yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ. A disciple should always remember that by serving the spiritual master he can easily advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All the scriptures recommend that it is by pleasing the spiritual master and serving him directly that one can attain the highest perfectional stage of devotional service.
FAQs
This verse depicts how powerful attachment and emotional dependence can drive one to abandon even home, children, and comforts—highlighting the binding force of material desire within saṁsāra.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks this verse while narrating the allegory of King Purañjana and the soul’s entanglement in material life.
Like moonlight naturally follows the moon, the mind tends to follow its chosen object; directing one’s attachment toward Bhagavān through sādhana helps transform compulsive chasing into purposeful devotion.