Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 57
Varṇāśrama-dharma as a Path to Bhakti
Yuga-dharma Origins, Universal Virtues, Brahmacarya and Gṛhastha Duties
अहो मे पितरौ वृद्धौ भार्या बालात्मजात्मजा: । अनाथा मामृते दीना: कथं जीवन्ति दु:खिता: ॥ ५७ ॥
aho me pitarau vṛddhau bhāryā bālātmajātmajāḥ anāthā mām ṛte dīnāḥ kathaṁ jīvanti duḥkhitāḥ
«Hélas ! Mes parents sont vieux, mon épouse porte un nourrisson dans ses bras, et mes autres enfants sont encore petits ; sans moi ils seront sans protection, misérables et accablés. Comment pourront-ils vivre ?»
FAQs
This verse captures a common householder fear—worry that dependents will suffer without one’s protection—highlighting how attachment produces anxiety and becomes an obstacle to spiritual detachment.
In Kṛṣṇa’s teachings to Uddhava, such statements are presented to expose the psychology of worldly attachment—how identification as “protector” binds the soul—and to redirect one toward reliance on the Supreme Protector.
Do your duties responsibly, but reduce possessiveness: remember that loved ones are ultimately protected by God and time, not by ego. Practice devotion and steady duty (dharma) without panic-driven attachment.