FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.13.26

गतस्वार्थमिमं देहं विरक्तो मुक्तबन्धन: । अविज्ञातगतिर्जह्यात् स वै धीर उदाहृत: ॥ २६ ॥
gata-svārtham imaṁ dehaṁ
[gata-svaartham imam deham]
virakto mukta-bandhanaḥ
[virakto mukta-bandhanah]
avijñāta-gatir jahyāt
[avijnaata-gatir jahyaat]
sa vai dhīra udāhṛtaḥ
[sa vai dheera udaahritah]
gata-sva-artham — without being properly utilized imam — this deham — material body viraktaḥ — indifferently mukta — being freed bandhanaḥ — from all obligations avijñāta-gatiḥ — unknown destination jahyāt — one should give up this body saḥ — such a person vai — certainly dhīraḥ — undisturbed udāhṛtaḥ — is said to be so.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
gata-svārtham imaṁ dehaṁ
gata-sva-artham
without being properly utilized
imam
this
deham
material body
virakto mukta-bandhanaḥ
viraktaḥ
indifferently
mukta
being freed
bandhanaḥ
from all obligations
avijñāta-gatir jahyāt
avijñāta-gatiḥ
unknown destination
jahyāt
one should give up this body
sa vai dhīra udāhṛtaḥ
saḥ
such a person
vai
certainly
dhīraḥ
undisturbed
udāhṛtaḥ
is said to be so.
He is called undisturbed who goes to an unknown, remote place and, freed from all obligations, quits his material body when it has become useless.

Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, a great devotee and ācārya of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sect, has sung, “My Lord, I have simply wasted my life. Having obtained the human body, I have neglected to worship Your Lordship, and therefore I have willingly drunk poison.” In other words, the human body is especially meant for cultivating knowledge of devotional service to the Lord, without which life becomes full of anxieties and miserable conditions. Therefore, one who has spoiled his life without such cultural activities is advised to leave home without knowledge of friends and relatives and, being thus freed from all obligations of family, society, country, etc., give up the body at some unknown destination so that others may not know where and how he has met his death. Dhīra means one who is not disturbed, even when there is sufficient provocation. One cannot give up a comfortable family life due to his affectionate relation with wife and children. Self-realization is obstructed by such undue affection for family, and if anyone is at all able to forget such a relation, he is called undisturbed, or dhīra. This is, however, the path of renunciation based on a frustrated life, but stabilization of such renunciation is possible only by association with bona fide saints and self-realized souls by which one can be engaged in the loving devotional service of the Lord. Sincere surrender unto the lotus feet of the Lord is possible by awakening the transcendental sense of service. This is made possible by association with pure devotees of the Lord. Dhṛtarāṣṭra was lucky enough to have a brother whose very association was a source of liberation for this frustrated life.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
He is called wise who gives up this body which has not been used to worship Kṛṣṇa, after rejecting wealth and sons and going where no one can find him, while practicing bhakti.
Commentary

Gata-svārtham means “afflicted with lamentation, illusion and old age because of not having performed worship of Kṛṣṇa.” Mukta-bandhanaḥ means giving up wealth and sons. Avijñāta-gatiḥ means “going where no one knows.” The words “gives up’’ should mean “gives up the body at a holy place with devotion.” Such a person is wise.

He is called undisturbed who goes to an unknown, remote place and, freed from all obligations, quits his material body when it has become useless. Voluntary departure beats forced extraction.
Reflection Questions
  • What 'remote place' could I retreat to when the time comes?
  • Where am I postponing the right exit?
📝 My note

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