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Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 49

Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Wrath, the Assault on Vedic Culture, and the Boy-Yamarāja’s Teaching on the Soul

अथ नित्यमनित्यं वा नेह शोचन्ति तद्विद: । नान्यथा शक्यते कर्तुं स्वभाव: शोचतामिति ॥ ४९ ॥

atha nityam anityaṁ vā neha śocanti tad-vidaḥ nānyathā śakyate kartuṁ sva-bhāvaḥ śocatām iti

ผู้รู้ตนจริงย่อมทราบว่าอาตมันเป็นนิรันดร์ ส่วนกายเป็นของไม่เที่ยง จึงไม่ถูกความโศกครอบงำ. แต่ผู้ไร้ความรู้ตนย่อมคร่ำครวญแน่นอน เพราะความคร่ำครวญเป็นนิสัยของผู้หลงมายา.

अथthen/now
अथ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अनुक्रम/प्रस्ताव (now/then)
नित्यम्the eternal
नित्यम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootनित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मरूपेण (object)
अनित्यम्the non-eternal
अनित्यम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootअनित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मरूपेण
वाor
वा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्प-बोधक अव्यय (or)
not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-निपात (negation)
इहhere
इह:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक अव्यय (here/in this world)
शोचन्तिgrieve
शोचन्ति:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootशुच् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
तत्-विदःknowers of that (truth)
तत्-विदः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (धातु; कृदन्त ‘विद्’/‘विद्वस्’ अर्थे ‘knower’)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तत् वेदन्ति इति = knowers of that)
not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-निपात
अन्यथाotherwise
अन्यथा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअन्यथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (otherwise)
शक्यतेis possible
शक्यते:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootशक् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद
कर्तुम्to do
कर्तुम्:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-रूप (infinitive) ‘to do/make’
स्व-भावः(one’s) nature
स्व-भावः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootस्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य भावः = one’s nature)
शोचताम्of those who grieve
शोचताम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootशुच् (धातु; कृदन्त/शतृ)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle) ‘शोचत्’ = grieving; ‘of those who grieve’
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formउद्धरण-समाप्ति सूचक अव्यय (quotative)

According to the mīmāṁsā philosophers, everything is eternal, nitya, and according to the Sāṅkhya philosophers everything is mithyā, or anitya — impermanent. Nonetheless, without real knowledge of ātmā, the soul, such philosophers must be bewildered and must continue to lament as śūdras. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī therefore said to Parīkṣit Mahārāja:

P
Prahlāda
H
Hiraṇyakaśipu

FAQs

This verse says that those who know the truth do not lament for either the eternal or the temporary; lamentation arises from conditioned nature and attachment.

Prahlāda instructs his father that worldly sorrow and anxiety are rooted in ignorance and attachment, and that true wisdom brings freedom from lamentation.

Discern what is temporary, remember the soul’s eternal nature, and practice devotion and steady remembrance of the Lord to reduce attachment-driven grief.