Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 17
The Forest of Material Existence (Saṁsāra-vana) and the Delivering Path of Bharata’s Teachings
कदाचिन्मनोरथोपगतपितृपितामहाद्यसत्सदिति स्वप्ननिर्वृतिलक्षणमनुभवति ॥ १७ ॥
kadācin manorathopagata-pitṛ-pitāmahādy asat sad iti svapna-nirvṛti-lakṣaṇam anubhavati.
Às vezes a alma condicionada imagina, por fantasia mental, que seu pai ou avô voltou na forma de seu filho ou neto. Assim ela sente uma felicidade passageira, como o prazer de um sonho, e se deleita nessas construções da mente.
Due to ignorance of the real existence of the Lord, the conditioned soul imagines many things. Influenced by fruitive activity, he comes together with his relatives, fathers, sons and grandfathers, exactly as straws gather together in a moving stream. In a moment the straws are thrown everywhere, and they lose contact. In conditional life, the living entity is temporarily with many other conditioned souls. They gather together as family members, and the material affection is so strong that even after a father or grandfather passes away, one takes pleasure in thinking that they return to the family in different forms. Sometimes this may happen, but in any case the conditioned soul likes to take pleasure in such concocted thoughts.
FAQs
This verse explains that the conditioned soul sometimes feels relief or happiness that is only dreamlike—produced by the mind—and mistakes temporary, unreal situations as real.
In the allegory of the material world, he highlights that bodily relationships are temporary and change with time; treating them as ultimate reality keeps one bound to saṁsāra.
Serve family responsibly, but remember the soul’s eternal relationship is with Bhagavān; reduce mental obsession and cultivate bhakti so attachment becomes purified rather than binding.