Shloka 7
Citraketu’s Detachment, Nārada’s Mantra, and the Darśana of Anantadeva
नित्यस्यार्थस्य सम्बन्धो ह्यनित्यो दृश्यते नृषु । यावद्यस्य हि सम्बन्धो ममत्वं तावदेव हि ॥ ७ ॥
nityasyārthasya sambandho hy anityo dṛśyate nṛṣu yāvad yasya hi sambandho mamatvaṁ tāvad eva hi
Chez les hommes, on voit que le lien du jīva, pourtant éternel, avec ce qui est transitoire, est impermanent. Tant que le lien demeure, demeure le sentiment de « mien »; quand le lien se rompt, l’appropriation s’évanouit.
Aside from the fact that the soul transmigrates from one body to another, even in this life the relationships between living entities are impermanent, as exemplified in this verse. The son of Citraketu was named Harṣaśoka, or “jubilation and lamentation.” The living entity is certainly eternal, but because he is covered by a temporary dress, the body, his eternity is not observed. Dehino ’smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā: “The embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age.” Thus the bodily dress is impermanent. The living entity, however, is permanent. As an animal is transferred from one owner to another, the living entity who was the son of Citraketu lived as his son for some time, but as soon as he was transferred to another body, the affectionate relationship was broken. As stated in the example given in the previous verse, when one has a commodity in his hands he considers it his, but as soon as it is transferred it becomes someone else’s commodity. Then one no longer has a relationship with it; he has no affection for it, nor does he lament for it.
FAQs
This verse explains that possessiveness—thinking “this is mine”—lasts only as long as the relationship lasts, because worldly connections are temporary even when the soul’s reality is eternal.
In the context of Citraketu’s sorrow, this teaching highlights the impermanence of material bonds and helps redirect the heart from grief born of attachment toward spiritual understanding and devotion.
Recognize that roles and relationships change with time; reduce possessiveness, serve loved ones without clinging, and anchor identity in the eternal self and devotion to Bhagavān.