Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 30
Brahmacarya and Vānaprastha Duties; Gradual Dissolution of Bodily Identity
मनो मनोरथैश्चन्द्रे बुद्धिं बोध्यै: कवौ परे । कर्माण्यध्यात्मना रुद्रे यदहं ममताक्रिया । सत्त्वेन चित्तं क्षेत्रज्ञे गुणैर्वैकारिकं परे ॥ २९ ॥ अप्सु क्षितिमपो ज्योतिष्यदो वायौ नभस्यमुम् । कूटस्थे तच्च महति तदव्यक्तेऽक्षरे च तत् ॥ ३० ॥
mano manorathaiś candre buddhiṁ bodhyaiḥ kavau pare karmāṇy adhyātmanā rudre yad-aham mamatā-kriyā
Akal (manas) bersama segala keinginan hendaklah melebur ke dalam dewa bulan; kecerdasan bersama hal-hal yang diketahui hendaklah ditempatkan pada Brahmā, sang Kavi tertinggi. Ego palsu yang dikuasai guṇa—yang menimbulkan rasa “aku” dan “milikku”—bersama kegiatan karma hendaklah dilebur pada Rudra, penguasa ego. Kesedaran batin (citta) dengan sattva hendaklah melebur pada jīva, sang kṣetrajña; dan unsur vaikarika bersama para dewa yang bergerak menurut guṇa hendaklah melebur ke dalam Yang Maha Tinggi. Bumi melebur ke air, air ke cahaya matahari, cahaya ke angin, angin ke langit, langit ke ego, ego ke mahat-tattva, mahat ke pradhāna yang tidak termanifest, dan akhirnya yang tidak termanifest itu ke Paramātmā.
FAQs
This verse teaches a meditative ‘merging’ process: the mind and its desires are restrained and offered into higher cosmic principles, while the ‘I’ and ‘mine’ (false ego) are purified through sattva and ultimately surrendered into the Supreme.
Prahlada explains a traditional Vedic method of inner withdrawal (laya/saṁhāra of attachments), redirecting mental and behavioral energies away from selfish identity and toward divine order, culminating in surrender to the Supreme.
Reduce possessiveness and ego-driven choices by consciously offering outcomes to God, practicing humility, and aligning daily work with dharma and service rather than personal prestige.