Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 6
Nārada Instructs Dakṣa’s Sons; Allegory of the World; Dakṣa Curses Nārada
उवाच चाथ हर्यश्वा: कथं स्रक्ष्यथ वै प्रजा: । अदृष्ट्वान्तं भुवो यूयं बालिशा बत पालका: ॥ ६ ॥ तथैकपुरुषं राष्ट्रं बिलं चादृष्टनिर्गमम् । बहुरूपां स्त्रियं चापि पुमांसं पुंश्चलीपतिम् ॥ ७ ॥ नदीमुभयतो वाहां पञ्चपञ्चाद्भुतं गृहम् । क्वचिद्धंसं चित्रकथं क्षौरपव्यं स्वयं भ्रमि ॥ ८ ॥
uvāca cātha haryaśvāḥ kathaṁ srakṣyatha vai prajāḥ adṛṣṭvāntaṁ bhuvo yūyaṁ bāliśā bata pālakāḥ
El gran sabio Nārada dijo: Queridos Haryaśvas, no habéis visto los confines de la tierra; por eso sois muchachos inexpertos. Hay un reino donde vive un solo hombre, y hay un agujero del que, una vez que se entra, nadie sale. Allí una mujer sumamente inconstante se adorna con múltiples atuendos atractivos, y el único hombre de ese reino es su esposo. En ese reino hay un río que fluye en ambas direcciones, una casa maravillosa hecha de veinticinco elementos, un cisne que emite diversos sonidos, y un artefacto que gira por sí mismo, hecho de filos como navajas y de dureza como el vajra. Sin haber visto todo esto, ¿cómo crearéis descendencia?
Nārada Muni saw that the boys known as the Haryaśvas were already purified because of living in that holy place and were practically ready for liberation. Why then should they be encouraged to become entangled in family life, which is so dark that once having entered it one cannot leave it? Through this analogy, Nārada Muni asked them to consider why they should follow their father’s order to be entangled in family life. Indirectly, he asked them to find within the cores of their hearts the situation of the Supersoul, Lord Viṣṇu, for then they would truly be experienced. In other words, one who is too involved in his material environment and does not look within the core of his heart is increasingly entangled in the illusory energy. Nārada Muni’s purpose was to get the sons of Prajāpati Dakṣa to divert their attention toward spiritual realization instead of involving themselves in the ordinary but complicated affairs of propagation. The same advice was given by Prahlāda Mahārāja to his father ( Bhāg. 7.5.5 ):
FAQs
This verse shows Nārada cautioning that worldly duties like procreation should not be pursued blindly; one should first understand the nature and limits of material existence.
Dakṣa’s sons were sent to populate the universe, but Nārada redirected them toward deeper inquiry and renunciation, warning them that they had not grasped the true goal of life.
Before major life commitments, cultivate self-knowledge, spiritual practice, and clarity of purpose so responsibilities are guided by wisdom rather than impulse.