yathā vastūni paṇyāni hemādīni tatas tataḥ
yathā vastūni paṇyāni hemādīni tatas tataḥ |
paryaṭanti nareṣv evaṁ jīvo yoniṣu kartṛṣu ||
nityasyārthasya sambandho hy anityo dṛśyate nṛṣu |
yāvad yasya hi sambandho mamatvaṁ tāvad eva hi ||
evaṁ yoni-gato jīvaḥ sa nityo nirahaṅkṛtaḥ |
yāvad yatropalabhyeta tāvat svatvaṁ hi tasya tat ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.16.6–8)
“As commodities such as gold pass on and on among people, so does a jīva among families and progenitors. Among people, [even] a relationship with a permanent entity [i.e., with another jīva] is seen to be impermanent, and only as long as one has the relationship is there possessiveness (mamatva) [lit., ‘my-ness,’ for that entity]. The jīva situated in a [particular] family similarly is eternal and without ego [i.e., the jīva does not inherently possessed of any sense of identity or belonging related the body, the family, or the other particulars into which it is born in a given lifetime]. Its [i.e., a jīva’s] identification with that [i.e., the family, body, and so forth into which it is born] remains only as long as it may be found there [i.e., only as long as that lifespan lasts].”