Shloka 23
The Forest of Material Existence (Saṁsāra-vana) and the Delivering Path of Bharata’s Teachings
अथ च तस्मादुभयथापि हि कर्मास्मिन्नात्मन: संसारावपनमुदाहरन्ति ॥ २३ ॥
atha ca tasmād ubhayathāpi hi karmāsminn ātmanaḥ saṁsārāvapanam udāharanti.
ฉะนั้นบัณฑิตและผู้รู้สัจธรรมจึงตำหนิหนทางกรรมที่มุ่งผลทางวัตถุ เพราะเป็นรากและแหล่งเพาะทุกข์ทั้งในชาตินี้และชาติหน้า
Not knowing the value of life, karmīs create situations whereby they suffer in this life and the next. Unfortunately, karmīs are very attached to material sense gratification, and they cannot appreciate the miserable condition of material life, neither in this life nor in the next. Therefore the Vedas enjoin that one should awaken to spiritual consciousness and utilize all his activities to attain the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord Himself says in Bhagavad-gītā (9.27) :
FAQs
This verse explains that karma is like a seed planted within the jīva, which sprouts into repeated material existence (saṁsāra).
In the allegorical teaching of Canto 5, Śukadeva shows how attachment-driven action perpetuates bondage, so the listener understands the root mechanism of repeated birth and death.
Act without selfish attachment—shift from fruit-centered work to devotion-centered duty—so actions no longer plant new seeds of bondage.