Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 51
Nārada’s Instructions: Śrāddha, True Dharma, Contentment, Yoga, and Devotion-Centered Renunciation
द्रव्यसूक्ष्मविपाकश्च धूमो रात्रिरपक्षय: । अयनं दक्षिणं सोमो दर्श ओषधिवीरुध: ॥ ५० ॥ अन्नं रेत इति क्ष्मेश पितृयानं पुनर्भव: । एकैकश्येनानुपूर्वं भूत्वा भूत्वेह जायते ॥ ५१ ॥
dravya-sūkṣma-vipākaś ca dhūmo rātrir apakṣayaḥ ayanaṁ dakṣiṇaṁ somo darśa oṣadhi-vīrudhaḥ
ຂ້າແຕ່ພະຣາຊາຢຸທິສຖິຣ! ເມື່ອນ້ຳມັນເນີຍ (ghee) ແລະ ເຂົ້າທັນຍາຫານເຊັ່ນ ບາຣ໌ເລຍ ແລະ ງາ ຖືກຖວາຍເປັນອາຫຸຕິໃນຍັນ ຜົນອັນລະອຽດຈະກາຍເປັນຄວັນທິບ ນຳໃຫ້ໄປຕາມລຳດັບຜ່ານໂລກ ດູມ, ຣາຕຣີ, ກຣິຊນະປັກຊະ, ດັກຊິນາຍະນ ແລະ ສຸດທ້າຍເຖິງດວງຈັນ. ແຕ່ຕໍ່ມາຜູ້ປະກອບຍັນກໍກັບລົງສູ່ໂລກ ກາຍເປັນສົມຸນໄພ ເຄືອ ຜັກ ແລະ ເຂົ້າທັນຍາຫານ; ຖືກກິນແລ້ວກາຍເປັນນ້ຳເຊື້ອ ແລະ ຖືກສົ່ງເຂົ້າສູ່ກາຍສະຕຣີ ຈຶ່ງເກີດໃໝ່ຊ້ຳໆ.
This is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (9.21) :
FAQs
This verse outlines a karmic post-death progression through smoke, night, the dark fortnight, the sun’s southern course, the moon, and then into vegetation—indicating a return toward rebirth rather than liberation.
Parīkṣit was hearing essential teachings before death; Śukadeva explains karmic routes like pitṛyāna to show how material piety still leads to rebirth, encouraging exclusive devotion for liberation.
Do not rely only on ritual merit or worldly virtue; cultivate bhakti and detachment so one’s consciousness aims for liberation rather than cyclical return.