Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 52
Kṛṣṇa’s Impending Departure; Uddhava’s Surrender; King Yadu and the Avadhūta’s Twenty-Four Gurus
Beginnings
नातिस्नेह: प्रसङ्गो वा कर्तव्य: क्वापि केनचित् । कुर्वन् विन्देत सन्तापं कपोत इव दीनधी: ॥ ५२ ॥
nāti-snehaḥ prasaṅgo vā kartavyaḥ kvāpi kenacit kurvan vindeta santāpaṁ kapota iva dīna-dhīḥ
Il ne faut nourrir ni affection excessive ni attachement envers qui que ce soit ou quoi que ce soit; sinon on connaîtra une grande souffrance. Comme le pigeon insensé qui s’afflige par attachement, ainsi l’homme souffre.
The Sanskrit prefix ati, or “excessive,” indicates affection or attachment in which there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Lord Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (5.29) , suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām: the Lord is the eternal well-wisher of every living being. The Lord is so affectionate that He sits in the heart of every conditioned soul and accompanies him throughout his endless wandering in the kingdom of māyā, patiently waiting for the conditioned soul to come back home, back to Godhead. Thus the Lord makes all arrangements for the eternal happiness of every living entity. The best way for anyone to show compassion and affection for all living beings is to become a preacher on behalf of Lord Kṛṣṇa and assist the Lord in reclaiming the fallen souls. If our affection or attachment for others is based on bodily sense gratification, in the name of society, friendship and love, that excessive, unwanted affection ( ati-sneha ) will cause burning pain at the time of the breaking or destruction of the relationship. Now the story of the foolish pigeon will be narrated. A similar story is described in the Seventh Canto, Second Chapter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, told by Yamarāja to the mourning widows of King Suyajña.
FAQs
This verse warns that excessive affection and entangling attachment lead to distress and bondage, illustrated by the pigeon’s suffering caused by attachment.
In the Uddhava-gītā section, Kṛṣṇa teaches Uddhava renunciation and clear-minded devotion; the pigeon example shows how attachment can destroy discrimination and bring suffering.
Maintain loving responsibility without possessiveness: serve family and duties as an offering to Kṛṣṇa, avoid obsessive dependence, and keep steady sādhanā so affection remains devotional rather than binding.