Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 49
Sāṅkhya Enumeration of Tattvas, Distinction of Puruṣa–Prakṛti, and the Mechanics of Birth and Death
आत्मन: पितृपुत्राभ्यामनुमेयौ भवाप्ययौ । न भवाप्ययवस्तूनामभिज्ञो द्वयलक्षण: ॥ ४९ ॥
ātmanaḥ pitṛ-putrābhyām anumeyau bhavāpyayau na bhavāpyaya-vastūnām abhijño dvaya-lakṣaṇaḥ
ເຫັນການຕາຍຂອງພໍ່ຫຼືປູ່ ກໍອາດອະນຸມານການຕາຍຂອງຕົນໄດ້; ແລະເຫັນການເກີດຂອງລູກຊາຍ ກໍເຂົ້າໃຈສະພາບການເກີດຂອງຕົນໄດ້. ຜູ້ທີ່ເຂົ້າໃຈການເກີດແລະການດັບຂອງຮ່າງກາຍວັດຖຸຢ່າງແທ້ຈິງ ຍ່ອມບໍ່ຖືກຜູກມັດໂດຍຄູ່ຕົກກັນເຫຼົ່ານີ້ອີກ
The Lord has described the nine stages of the material body, beginning with impregnation, gestation and birth. One may argue that a living entity cannot remember his presence in the mother’s womb nor his birth and early infancy. The Lord therefore states here that one can experience these phases of bodily existence by studying one’s own child. Similarly, although one may hope to live forever, by experiencing the death of one’s father, grandfather or great-grandfather, one has definite proof that the material body will die. A sober person, knowing the soul to be eternal, therefore gives up false identification with the temporary, unreliable body and takes shelter of the devotional service of the Lord. By this process one can escape the artificial imposition of birth and death.
FAQs
This verse teaches that birth and death belong to the body and are only inferred around the self, while the ātmā is of a different nature and cannot be truly known through perishable, changing phenomena.
In the Uddhava Gītā, Kṛṣṇa trains Uddhava in discrimination between the eternal self and temporary material conditions, so Uddhava can remain steady in devotion and knowledge as Kṛṣṇa prepares to depart from the world.
Practice seeing life’s changes—gain, loss, aging, and fear—as bodily conditions, and cultivate remembrance of your spiritual identity through bhakti (hearing, chanting, and serving), reducing anxiety rooted in temporary labels.