Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 6
Jaḍa Bharata’s Birth, Feigned Madness, and Protection by Goddess Kālī
एवं स्वतनुज आत्मन्यनुरागावेशितचित्त: शौचाध्ययनव्रतनियमगुर्वनलशुश्रूषणाद्यौपकुर्वाणककर्माण्यनभियुक्तान्यपि समनुशिष्टेन भाव्यमित्यसदाग्रह: पुत्रमनुशास्य स्वयं तावद् अनधिगतमनोरथ: कालेनाप्रमत्तेन स्वयं गृह एव प्रमत्त उपसंहृत: ॥ ६ ॥
evaṁ sva-tanuja ātmany anurāgāveśita-cittaḥ śaucādhyayana-vrata-niyama-gurv-anala-śuśrūṣaṇādy-aupakurvāṇaka-karmāṇy anabhiyuktāny api samanuśiṣṭena bhāvyam ity asad-āgrahaḥ putram anuśāsya svayaṁ tāvad anadhigata-manorathaḥ kālenāpramattena svayaṁ gṛha eva pramatta upasaṁhṛtaḥ.
Ainsi, le brāhmaṇa, l’esprit envahi par l’attachement à son propre fils, demeurait tout entier tourné vers lui. Par une obstination mal placée, il continuait à lui enseigner les règles du brahmacarya—pureté, étude, vœux et disciplines, service du maître spirituel et sacrifice au feu—bien que le fils n’y fût pas porté. Son désir ne s’accomplit pas. Comme tout un chacun, attaché à sa maison, il oublia qu’il devait mourir un jour ; mais le Temps, lui, n’oublie pas : à l’heure voulue, il vint et l’emporta, jusque dans son propre foyer.
Those too attached to family life, who forget that death comes in the future to take them away, become attached and unable to finish their duty as human beings. The duty of human life is to solve all the problems of life, but instead people remain attached to family affairs and duties. Although they forget death, death will not forget them. Suddenly they will be kicked off the platform of a peaceful family life. One may forget that he has to die, but death never forgets. Death comes always at the right time. The brāhmaṇa father of Jaḍa Bharata wanted to teach his son the process of brahmacarya, but he was unsuccessful due to his son’s unwillingness to undergo the process of Vedic advancement. Jaḍa Bharata was simply concerned with returning home, back to Godhead, by executing devotional service through śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. He did not care for the Vedic instructions of his father. When one is fully interested in the service of the Lord, he does not need to follow all the regulative principles enunciated in the Vedas. Of course, for an ordinary man, the Vedic principles are imperative. No one can avoid them. But when one has attained the perfection of devotional service, it is not very important to follow the Vedic principles. Lord Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna to ascend to the platform of nistraiguṇya, the transcendental position above the Vedic principles.
FAQs
This verse shows that even sincere religious training can be weakened by excessive attachment; absorbed in affection for his son, the father became careless, and Time seized him before his desires were fulfilled.
As a brāhmaṇa householder, he wanted his son to follow śāstric discipline—purity, Vedic study, vows, and duties like serving the guru and maintaining sacred fire—yet the boy was not inclined toward such conventional engagement.
Perform duties and guide dependents, but avoid possessiveness and complacency; remember that time is limited, so prioritize genuine spiritual progress over anxiety-driven control.