Shloka 51
Brahmā’s Prayers to Lord Kṛṣṇa (Brahmā-stuti) and the Restoration of Vraja’s Lunch Pastime
तद् राजेन्द्र यथा स्नेह: स्वस्वकात्मनि देहिनाम् । न तथा ममतालम्बिपुत्रवित्तगृहादिषु ॥ ५१ ॥
tad rājendra yathā snehaḥ sva-svakātmani dehinām na tathā mamatālambi- putra-vitta-gṛhādiṣu
Therefore, O best of kings, the embodied being’s affection rests on one’s own self and body, not equally on what is clung to as “mine”—children, wealth, home, and the like.
It is now common practice all over the world for a mother to kill her own child within the womb if the birth of that child represents any inconvenience for her. Similarly, grown children eagerly place their elderly parents in lonely institutions rather than be inconvenienced by their presence at home. These and innumerable other examples prove that people in general are more attached to their own body and self, which represent “I-ness,” than to their family and other possessions, which represent “my-ness.” Although conditioned souls are very proud of their so-called love for society, family and so forth, in reality every conditioned soul is acting on the platform of gross or subtle selfishness.
FAQs
This verse explains that the sense of “mine” makes one cling to children, wealth, and home, but that attachment is secondary to the innate love one has for one’s own self—revealing how mamatā is a constructed, not ultimate, bond.
Śukadeva is guiding Parīkṣit toward renunciation and clear spiritual focus by exposing the psychology of attachment—showing that worldly bonds are rooted in self-centered identification and thus should be transcended through devotion and wisdom.
Serve family and responsibilities as stewardship rather than ownership—reduce “mine-ness,” cultivate remembrance of the soul and God, and practice simple detachment (prioritizing sādhana, charity, and humility) while performing dharma.