Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 38
Priyavrata Accepts Kingship by Brahmā’s Instruction; Sapta-dvīpa Formation and Renunciation
परदेवताप्रसादाधिगतात्मप्रत्यवमर्शेनानुप्रवृत्तेभ्य: पुत्रेभ्य इमां यथादायं विभज्य भुक्तभोगां च महिषीं मृतकमिव सह महाविभूतिमपहाय स्वयं निहितनिर्वेदो हृदि गृहीतहरिविहारानुभावो भगवतो नारदस्य पदवीं पुनरेवानुससार ॥ ३८ ॥
para-devatā-prasādādhigatātma-pratyavamarśenānupravṛttebhyaḥ putrebhya imāṁ yathā-dāyaṁ vibhajya bhukta-bhogāṁ ca mahiṣīṁ mṛtakam iva saha mahā-vibhūtim apahāya svayaṁ nihita-nirvedo hṛdi gṛhīta-hari-vihārānubhāvo bhagavato nāradasya padavīṁ punar evānusasāra.
By the grace of the Supreme Lord, Mahārāja Priyavrata came to his senses again. He duly divided all his earthly possessions among his obedient sons. He abandoned his queen—with whom he had long enjoyed sense pleasure—and his vast, opulent kingdom, as one casts off a dead body. With renunciation fixed within and his heart purified by the potency of Hari’s pastimes, he returned to the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and again followed the course attained by the mercy of the great sage Nārada.
As enunciated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His Śikṣāṣṭaka, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam: as soon as one’s heart is cleansed, the blazing fire of material existence is immediately extinguished. Our hearts are meant for the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This means that one should be fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, thinking of Kṛṣṇa, as He Himself advises ( man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru ). This should be our only business. One whose heart is not clean cannot think of the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Lord, but if one can once again place the Supreme Personality of Godhead in his heart, he very easily becomes qualified to renounce material attachment. Māyāvādī philosophers, yogīs and jñānīs try to give up this material world simply by saying, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: “This world is false. There is no use of it. Let us take to Brahman.” Such theoretical knowledge will not help us. If we believe that Brahman is the real truth, we have to place within our hearts the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, as Mahārāja Ambarīṣa did ( sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ ). One has to fix the lotus feet of the Lord within his heart. Then he gets the strength to be freed from material entanglement.
FAQs
This verse shows that after responsibly establishing his sons and dividing the kingdom, Priyavrata renounced his opulence and turned fully inward to devotion, demonstrating duty first and detachment thereafter.
By the Supreme Lord’s mercy he regained clear self-realization and fixed detachment, so he returned to Nārada’s devotional path—centering his heart on Hari’s pastimes rather than royal enjoyment.
Do your responsibilities conscientiously, then reduce attachment to status and pleasure; keep the mind anchored in remembrance of the Lord’s līlā through regular hearing, chanting, and reflection.