Study a Verse

• Although shadows, echoes and mirages are mere reflections of real substances, they create strong emotions in persons falsely accepting them as real.
• In the same manner, a conditioned soul is seized by such emotions as fear, lust, anger and hope because of his illusory perception of himself as the material body, mind and false ego.
• By practical example it is thus shown that even illusory objects may cause highly emotional reactions.

The purport's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Striving → Complete devotional trust. The Lord redirects Uddhava toward enduring loving service.

Chapters 21–29 of Canto 11: Spiritual practice culminating in bhakti-yoga. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 28: Jñāna-yoga

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Although material existence is unreal, those who lack discrimination remain entangled in the cycle of birth and death because of their absorption in sense gratification. All the phases of material life — such as birth, death, sorrow and happiness — belong not to the soul but to the materialistic false ego.