Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 70
Kṛṣṇa’s Impending Departure; Uddhava’s Surrender; King Yadu and the Avadhūta’s Twenty-Four Gurus
Beginnings
सोऽहं शून्ये गृहे दीनो मृतदारो मृतप्रज: । जिजीविषे किमर्थं वा विधुरो दु:खजीवित: ॥ ७० ॥
so ’haṁ śūnye gṛhe dīno mṛta-dāro mṛta-prajaḥ jijīviṣe kim arthaṁ vā vidhuro duḥkha-jīvitaḥ
Maintenant, je suis une personne misérable vivant dans une maison vide. Ma femme est morte, mes enfants sont morts. Pourquoi voudrais-je vivre ? Mon cœur est si peiné par la séparation que la vie elle-même n'est que souffrance.
FAQs
This verse portrays the crushing emptiness of worldly attachment—when loved ones are gone, material life can feel purposeless—pushing the seeker toward detachment and a higher refuge beyond temporary relationships.
He uses a stark example of bereavement to expose the fragility of household happiness in saṁsāra and to underline why a wise person seeks lasting shelter in spiritual realization rather than depending on temporary worldly supports.
It encourages honest acknowledgment of grief while also reminding us not to base our entire identity on changing external roles; channel the pain into spiritual grounding—prayer, remembrance of the Lord, and cultivating inner detachment.