Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 4
Ṛṣabhadeva Instructs His Sons: Tapasya, Mahātmā-Sevā, and Cutting the Heart-Knot
नूनं प्रमत्त: कुरुते विकर्म यदिन्द्रियप्रीतय आपृणोति । न साधु मन्ये यत आत्मनोऽय- मसन्नपि क्लेशद आस देह: ॥ ४ ॥
nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti na sādhu manye yata ātmano ’yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ
Kẻ xem khoái lạc giác quan là mục tiêu đời sống ắt trở nên mê cuồng và làm đủ điều tội lỗi. Người ấy không biết rằng do lỗi lầm quá khứ mình đã nhận thân này—tuy tạm bợ nhưng là nguồn khổ. Vì vậy, người có trí không nên lại lao vào những việc nhằm thỏa mãn giác quan, khiến phải nhận hết thân này đến thân khác.
Begging, borrowing and stealing to live for sense gratification is condemned in this verse because such consciousness leads one to a dark, hellish condition. The four sinful activities are illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. These are the means by which one gets another material body that is full of miseries. In the Vedas it is said: asaṅgo hy ayaṁ puruṣaḥ. The living entity is not really connected with this material world, but due to his tendency to enjoy the material senses he is put into the material condition. One should perfect his life by associating with devotees. He should not become further implicated in the material body.
FAQs
This verse states that a person deluded by illusion commits vikarma specifically to please the senses, showing that unchecked sense pleasure pushes one toward irreligious actions.
Ṛṣabhadeva was instructing his sons on dharma and renunciation, warning them that chasing sense pleasure leads to sinful behavior and binds the soul to suffering through bodily identification.
Before acting, pause to ask whether the choice is driven by mere sensory impulse; choose discipline and dharmic habits (clean conduct, moderation, devotion) to reduce suffering and strengthen spiritual clarity.