FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.30.18

एवं कुटुम्बभरणे व्यापृतात्माजितेन्द्रिय: । म्रियते रुदतां स्वानामुरुवेदनयास्तधी: ॥ १८ ॥
evaṁ kuṭumba-bharaṇe
[evam kutumba-bharane]
vyāpṛtātmājitendriyaḥ
[vyaapritaatmaajitendriyah]
mriyate rudatāṁ svānām
[mriyate rudataam svaanaam]
uru-vedanayāsta-dhīḥ
[uru-vedanayaasta-dheeh]
evam — thus kuṭumba-bharaṇe — in maintaining a family vyāpṛta — engrossed ātmā — his mind ajita — uncontrolled indriyaḥ — his senses mriyate — he dies rudatām — while crying svānām — his relatives uru — great vedanayā — with pain asta — bereft of dhīḥ — consciousness.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
evaṁ kuṭumba-bharaṇe
evam
thus
kuṭumba-bharaṇe
in maintaining a family
vyāpṛtātmājitendriyaḥ
vyāpṛta
engrossed
ātmā
his mind
ajita
uncontrolled
indriyaḥ
his senses
mriyate rudatāṁ svānām
mriyate
he dies
rudatām
while crying
svānām
his relatives
uru-vedanayāsta-dhīḥ
uru
great
vedanayā
with pain
asta
bereft of
dhīḥ
consciousness.
Thus the man, who engaged with uncontrolled senses in maintaining a family, dies in great grief, seeing his relatives crying. He dies most pathetically, in great pain and without consciousness.

In Bhagavad-gītā it is said that at the time of death one will be absorbed in the thoughts which he cultivated during his lifetime. A person who had no other idea than to properly maintain his family members must have family affairs in his last thoughts. That is the natural sequence for a common man. The common man does not know the destiny of his life; he is simply busy in his flash of life, maintaining his family. At the last stage, no one is satisfied with how he has improved the family economic condition; everyone thinks that he could not provide sufficiently. Because of his deep family affection, he forgets his main duty of controlling the senses and improving his spiritual consciousness. Sometimes a dying man entrusts the family affairs to either his son or some relative, saying, “I am going. Please look after the family.” He does not know where he is going, but even at the time of death he is anxious about how his family will be maintained. Sometimes it is seen that a dying man requests the physician to increase his life at least for a few years so that the family maintenance plan which he has begun can be completed. These are the material diseases of the conditioned soul. He completely forgets his real engagement — to become Kṛṣṇa conscious — and is always serious about planning to maintain his family, although he changes families one after another.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
His mind engrossed in family maintenance, with uncontrolled senses, and with the great pain from his lamenting relatives, he dies, losing his senses. Ast-dhīḥ means “losing his senses.”
The verse treats family affection as a hidden anchor that can quietly steer a life off course. Loving them well may require loving the Lord more, not less.
Reflection Questions
  • Which attachment, if you were honest, has been quietly running your decisions?
  • Where might detachment look like neglect from outside while actually being clarity inside?
📝 My note

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