Parīkṣit’s Inquiry into Vṛtrāsura’s Bhakti and the Beginning of Citraketu’s Trial
कृच्छ्रलब्धेऽथ राजर्षेस्तनयेऽनुदिनं पितु: । यथा नि:स्वस्य कृच्छ्राप्ते धने स्नेहोऽन्ववर्धत ॥ ३६ ॥
kṛcchra-labdhe ’tha rājarṣes tanaye ’nudinaṁ pituḥ yathā niḥsvasya kṛcchrāpte dhane sneho ’nvavardhata
เมื่อราชฤๅษีได้โอรสมาอย่างยากลำบาก ความรักของบิดาก็เพิ่มขึ้นทุกวัน; ดุจคนยากจนได้ทรัพย์มาด้วยความลำบาก ยิ่งวันยิ่งผูกพันกับทรัพย์นั้นมากขึ้น.
This verse explains that when something—like a child—is obtained after great hardship, a parent’s attachment can intensify day by day, increasing emotional dependence and future grief.
To show Parīkṣit Mahārāja how material attachment naturally swells around hard-won gains, setting the stage for Citraketu’s later sorrow and the Bhagavatam’s teaching on detachment and devotion.
Recognize that hard-earned achievements can create stronger clinging; practice gratitude without possessiveness and balance love with spiritual perspective through bhakti and remembrance of life’s impermanence.