Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 31
Chapter 19
किं सुखं दुःखम् एव च कः पण्डितः कश् च मूर्खः ।
कः पन्था उत्पथश् च कः कः स्वर्गो नरकः कः स्वित् ॥
kiṃ sukhaṃ duḥkham eva ca kaḥ paṇḍitaḥ kaś ca mūrkhaḥ / kaḥ panthā utpathaś ca kaḥ kaḥ svargo narakaḥ kaḥ svit //
Qu’est-ce que le bonheur et qu’est-ce que la souffrance ? Qui est vraiment savant et qui est sot ? Quel est le chemin véritable et quel est le sentier trompeur ? Et qu’est-ce que le ciel et qu’est-ce que l’enfer ?
In this chapter Uddhava approaches Śrī Kṛṣṇa with fundamental questions that every sincere seeker faces. Rather than accepting conventional labels—‘happy’ and ‘unhappy,’ ‘wise’ and ‘foolish,’ ‘religious’ and ‘irreligious’—Uddhava asks for definitions grounded in spiritual truth. In the Bhāgavata’s vision, worldly categories are often inverted: what people call happiness may bind the soul, and what appears painful may purify and awaken devotion. Similarly, scholarship without realization can be ignorance, while simple-hearted surrender can be true wisdom. By asking about the “path” versus “wrong path,” Uddhava requests a clear standard for dharma in an age of confusion—how to discern actions that lead to liberation and loving service versus those that entangle one in karma. Finally, ‘heaven’ and ‘hell’ are not merely distant destinations; they are also experiential states produced by consciousness, association, and the results of one’s choices. This verse sets the stage for Kṛṣṇa’s instruction: real well-being is rooted in God-centered life (bhakti), and real danger is forgetfulness of the Lord, even if decorated with comfort, prestige, or ritual.
FAQs
This verse introduces Uddhava’s request to define happiness and distress spiritually—beyond temporary pleasure and pain—so that one can choose what leads to liberation and devotion.
Because worldly education and status can be misleading; Uddhava wants Kṛṣṇa’s standard for true wisdom—knowledge that leads to realization and right living.
Use Kṛṣṇa-centered values to evaluate choices: actions that increase clarity, self-control, compassion, and devotion align with the path; actions that deepen greed, ego, and forgetfulness of God are the wrong path.