Shloka 47
कलियुग-प्रवृत्तिः, सप्तर्षि-गणना, धरणीगीताः, च वंश-समाप्तिः
Kali-yuga onset, Saptarṣi reckoning, Dharaṇī-gītā, and closure of the dynastic account
कथम् एष नरेन्द्राणां मोहो बुद्धिमताम् अपि येन फेनसधर्माणो ऽप्य् अतिविश्वस्तचेतसः
katham eṣa narendrāṇāṃ moho buddhimatām api yena phenasadharmāṇo 'py ativiśvastacetasaḥ
How does this delusion seize kings—even the intelligent—so that, though their state is as fleeting as foam, their minds become utterly confident and complacent?
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya; reflective teaching embedded in dynastic narrative)
Concept: Even the intelligent fall into moha: mistaking foam-like, momentary status for lasting security.
Vedantic Theme: Maya
Application: Contemplate mortality and the fragility of power daily to reduce complacency and cultivate detachment.
Vishishtadvaita: Moha veils the soul’s dependence on the Supreme; clarity arises by turning from transient upādhis to the Lord as the enduring refuge.
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
It highlights impermanence: royal power and worldly status appear substantial but dissolve quickly, warning rulers against mistaking transient authority for lasting reality.
By pointing to moha as a force that overwhelms discernment—kings, surrounded by power and praise, become overconfident despite knowing life and rule are unstable.
The verse implicitly contrasts unstable worldly sovereignty with Vishnu’s true, enduring sovereignty—urging alignment with dharma and devotion to the Supreme as the only stable refuge.