Shloka 25
Nārada Instructs Dakṣa’s Sons; Allegory of the World; Dakṣa Curses Nārada
ते च पित्रा समादिष्टा: प्रजासर्गे धृतव्रता: । नारायणसरो जग्मुर्यत्र सिद्धा: स्वपूर्वजा: ॥ २५ ॥
te ca pitrā samādiṣṭāḥ prajā-sarge dhṛta-vratāḥ nārāyaṇa-saro jagmur yatra siddhāḥ sva-pūrvajāḥ
Selon l’ordre de leur père d’engendrer une descendance, eux aussi prirent des vœux austères et se rendirent au lac Nārāyaṇa-saras, où leurs aînés avaient déjà atteint la perfection.
Prajāpati Dakṣa sent his second group of sons to the same place where his previous sons had attained perfection. He did not hesitate to send his second group of sons to the same place, although they too might become victims of Nārada’s instructions. According to the Vedic culture, one should be trained in spiritual understanding as a brahmacārī before entering household life to beget children. This is the Vedic system. Thus Prajāpati Dakṣa sent his second group of sons for cultural improvement, despite the risk that because of the instructions of Nārada they might become as intelligent as their older brothers. As a dutiful father, he did not hesitate to allow his sons to receive cultural instructions concerning the perfection of life; he depended upon them to choose whether to return home, back to Godhead, or to rot in this material world in various species of life. In all circumstances, the duty of the father is to give cultural education to his sons, who must later decide which way to go. Responsible fathers should not hinder their sons who are making cultural advancement in association with the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This is not a father’s duty. The duty of a father is to give his son complete freedom to make his choice after becoming spiritually advanced by following the instructions of the spiritual master.
FAQs
In this verse, Nārāyaṇa-saras is a sacred lake associated with spiritual perfection, where the elder brothers of Dakṣa’s sons had already become siddhas (perfected).
They went there because they were instructed by their father to undertake the work of creating progeny, and they proceeded to the place where their elder brothers had previously attained perfection.
Even while pursuing one’s duties, one should seek holy association and sacred places that elevate consciousness, so that duty becomes aligned with spiritual progress.