Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 7
Nārada Instructs Dakṣa’s Sons; Allegory of the World; Dakṣa Curses Nārada
उवाच चाथ हर्यश्वा: कथं स्रक्ष्यथ वै प्रजा: । अदृष्ट्वान्तं भुवो यूयं बालिशा बत पालका: ॥ ६ ॥ तथैकपुरुषं राष्ट्रं बिलं चादृष्टनिर्गमम् । बहुरूपां स्त्रियं चापि पुमांसं पुंश्चलीपतिम् ॥ ७ ॥ नदीमुभयतो वाहां पञ्चपञ्चाद्भुतं गृहम् । क्वचिद्धंसं चित्रकथं क्षौरपव्यं स्वयं भ्रमि ॥ ८ ॥
uvāca cātha haryaśvāḥ kathaṁ srakṣyatha vai prajāḥ adṛṣṭvāntaṁ bhuvo yūyaṁ bāliśā bata pālakāḥ
Sinabi ng dakilang pantas na si Nārada: Mahal kong mga Haryaśva, hindi pa ninyo nakita ang mga hangganan ng daigdig; kaya kayo’y mga batang walang sapat na kaalaman. May isang kaharian na iisa lamang ang lalaking naninirahan, at may isang butas na kapag pinasok ay walang sinumang nakalalabas. Doon ay may isang babaeng lubhang mapagpakasasa, nag-aayos ng sarili sa sari-saring kaakit-akit na kasuotan, at ang nag-iisang lalaki sa kahariang iyon ang kanyang asawa. Sa kahariang iyon ay may ilog na umaagos sa dalawang panig, may isang kamangha-manghang tahanang binubuo ng dalawampu’t limang sangkap, may isang sisne na nagpapalabas ng iba’t ibang tunog, at may isang bagay na kusang umiikot na yari sa matatalim na labaha at matitigas na tulad ng vajra. Kung hindi ninyo ito nakita, paano kayo lilikha ng supling?
Nārada Muni saw that the boys known as the Haryaśvas were already purified because of living in that holy place and were practically ready for liberation. Why then should they be encouraged to become entangled in family life, which is so dark that once having entered it one cannot leave it? Through this analogy, Nārada Muni asked them to consider why they should follow their father’s order to be entangled in family life. Indirectly, he asked them to find within the cores of their hearts the situation of the Supersoul, Lord Viṣṇu, for then they would truly be experienced. In other words, one who is too involved in his material environment and does not look within the core of his heart is increasingly entangled in the illusory energy. Nārada Muni’s purpose was to get the sons of Prajāpati Dakṣa to divert their attention toward spiritual realization instead of involving themselves in the ordinary but complicated affairs of propagation. The same advice was given by Prahlāda Mahārāja to his father ( Bhāg. 7.5.5 ):
FAQs
The verse presents riddle-like symbols (kingdom, cave, many-formed woman, two-way river, “house of five times five,” swan, razor’s edge) to point beyond literal worldly life toward subtle truths of material entanglement and the difficult path of spiritual realization.
After receiving Narada Muni’s instruction, the Haryaśvas became detached from material procreation and questioned the very premise of worldly expansion, implying that without knowing life’s ultimate end, ordinary “guardianship” and worldly duty can be naive.
It encourages self-inquiry before rushing into life’s expansions—reflecting on purpose, impermanence, and the “razor’s edge” discipline needed for genuine spiritual progress.