Shloka 18
Kālin̄dī’s Austerity; True Tapas and Prāyaścitta; Kṛṣṇa’s Grace and Marriage
सुखं नाप्तं ह्यपुमात्रं मुकुन्द सेवा मुक्ता तव देवस्य विष्णोः / इतः परं पुत्रमित्रादिकं च यास्ये नाहं तव दासी भवामि
sukhaṃ nāptaṃ hyapumātraṃ mukunda sevā muktā tava devasya viṣṇoḥ / itaḥ paraṃ putramitrādikaṃ ca yāsye nāhaṃ tava dāsī bhavāmi
Oh Mukunda, no he alcanzado ni la más mínima dicha; me he desligado del servicio a Ti, Señor Viṣṇu. Desde ahora iré con mi hijo, mis amigos y los demás; no volveré a ser tu sierva.
A female devotee/servant addressing Lord Vishnu (Mukunda)
Concept: Rejecting Vishnu’s service for worldly relations is a mark of delusion and leads away from lasting sukha.
Vedantic Theme: Anitya-samsara vs nitya-bhagavat-seva; misidentification of happiness with relational upadhis.
Application: When devotion feels dry, do not replace it with social dependence; seek satsanga, renew practice, and reframe seva as liberation rather than servitude.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Pretakalpa/Upadesha sections): repeated praise of Vishnu-bhakti as the sole refuge; condemnation of moha for putra-dara-dhana (general thematic parallel)
FAQs
This verse contrasts devotion to Mukunda with turning back to son and friends, highlighting that spiritual commitment requires loosening dependence on worldly relationships.
By showing a choice between service to Viṣṇu and attachment to family, it points to the inner orientation that shapes one’s spiritual trajectory—whether one moves toward liberation-focused devotion or remains bound to worldly identity.
Prioritize steady spiritual practice and ethical living without letting social obligations erase devotion; serve family responsibly, but do not make attachment the center of life.