Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 19
The Forest of Material Existence: Jaḍa Bharata Instructs King Rahūgaṇa
अत: कथञ्चित्स विमुक्त आपद: पुनश्च सार्थं प्रविशत्यरिन्दम । अध्वन्यमुष्मिन्नजया निवेशितो भ्रमञ्जनोऽद्यापि न वेद कश्चन ॥ १९ ॥
ataḥ kathañcit sa vimukta āpadaḥ punaś ca sārthaṁ praviśaty arindama adhvany amuṣminn ajayā niveśito bhramañ jano ’dyāpi na veda kaścana
¡Oh Rahūgaṇa, vencedor de enemigos! Aunque el alma condicionada logre salir de algún modo del peligro, vuelve otra vez al hogar para gozar de los placeres de los sentidos, en especial del disfrute sexual, pues así obra el apego. Bajo el hechizo de la energía material del Señor, sigue vagando por el bosque de la existencia mundana y ni aun ante la muerte descubre su verdadero bien.
This is the way of material life. When one is captured by sexual attraction, he becomes implicated in so many ways and cannot understand the real aim of life. Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.31) says, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum: generally people do not understand the ultimate goal of life. As stated in the Vedas, oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ: those who are spiritually advanced simply look to the lotus feet of Viṣṇu. The conditioned soul, however, not being interested in reviving his relationship with Viṣṇu, becomes captivated by material activities and remains in everlasting bondage, being misled by so-called leaders.
FAQs
This verse explains that even after escaping trouble, the conditioned soul often re-enters the same perilous path because māyā places him in illusion, and true understanding is rare without spiritual awakening.
Śukadeva speaks to King Parīkṣit as the “subduer of enemies,” encouraging him to conquer the inner enemy of illusion and see how māyā keeps souls trapped in repeated patterns.
Notice recurring harmful habits and the cycle of “crisis-escape-repeat.” Break it by steady sādhana—hearing sacred texts, chanting, and associating with devotees—so choices are guided by clarity rather than impulse.