SB 5.14.2

Srimad-Bhagavatam - Fifth Canto - Chapter 14: The Material World as the Great Forest of Enjoyment

SB 5.14.1 - SB 5.14.3

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

TEXT 2

yasyām u ha vā ete ṣaḍ-indriya-nāmānaḥ karmaṇā dasyava eva te

tad yathā puruṣasya dhanaṁ yat kiñcid dharmaupayikaṁ bahu-kṛcchrādhigataṁ sākṣāt

parama-puruṣārādhana-lakṣaṇo yo 'sau dharmas taṁ tu sāmparāya udāharanti tad-dharmyaṁ

dhanaṁ darśana-sparśana-śravaṇāsvādanāvaghrāṇa-saṅkalpa-vyavasāya-gṛha-grāmyopabhogena

kunāthasyājitātmano yathā sārthasya vilum-panti

SYNONYMS

yasyām — in which; u ha — certainly; vā — or; ete — all these; ṣaṭ-indriya-nāmānaḥ — who are named the six senses (the mind and the five knowledge-acquiring senses); karmaṇā — by their activity; dasyavaḥ — the plunderers; eva — certainly; te — they; tat — that; yathā — as; puruṣasya — of a person; dhanam — the wealth; yat — whatever; kiñcit — something; dharma-aupayikam — which is a means to religious principles; bahu-kṛcchra-adhigatam — earned after much hard labor; sākṣāt — directly; parama-puruṣa-ārādhana-lakṣaṇaḥ — whose symptoms are worship of the Supreme Lord by performance of sacrifices and so on; yaḥ — which; asau — that; dharmaḥ — religious principles; tam — that; tu — but; sāmparāye — for the benefit of the living entity after death; udāharanti — the wise declare; tat-dharmyam — religious (relating to the prosecution of the varṇāśrama-dharma); dhanam — wealth; darśana — by seeing; sparśana — by touching; śravaṇa — by hearing; āsvādana — by tasting; avaghrāṇa — by smelling; saṅkalpa — by determination; vyavasāya — by a conclusion; gṛha — in the material home; grāmya-upabhogena — by material sense gratification; kunāthasya — of the misguided conditioned soul; ajita-ātmanaḥ — who has not controlled himself; yathā — just as; sārthasya — of the living entity interested in sense gratification; vilumpanti — they plunder.

TRANSLATION

In the forest of material existence, the uncontrolled senses are like plunderers. The conditioned soul may earn some money for the advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but unfortunately the uncontrolled senses plunder his money through sense gratification. The senses are plunderers because they make one spend his money unnecessarily for seeing, smelling, tasting, touching, hearing, desiring and willing. In this way the conditioned soul is obliged to gratify his senses, and thus all his money is spent. This money is actually acquired for the execution of religious principles, but it is taken away by the plundering senses.

PURPORT

pūrva jamnārjitā vidyā pūrva janmārjitaṁ dhanaṁ agre dhāvati dhāvati. By following the principles of the varṇāśrama-dharma, one attains a better position in the material world. One may be rich, learned, beautiful or highborn. One who has all these assets should know that they are all meant for the advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unfortunately, when a person is misguided he misuses his high position for sense gratification. Therefore the uncontrolled senses are considered plunderers. The good position one attains by executing religious principles is wasted as the plundering senses take it away. By executing religious principles under the laws of varṇaśrama-dharma, one is placed in a comfortable position. One may very easily use his assets for the further advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One should understand that the wealth and opportunity one gets in the material world should not be squandered in sense gratification. They are meant for the advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is therefore teaching people to control the mind and five knowledge-acquiring senses by a definite process. One should practice a little austerity and not spend money on anything other than the regulative life of devotional service. The senses demand that one see beautiful things; therefore money should be spent for decorating the Deity in the temple. Similarly, the tongue has to taste good food, which should be bought and offered to the Deity. The nose can be utilized in smelling the flowers offered to the Deity, and the hearing can be utilized by listening to the vibration of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. In this way the senses can be regulated and utilized to advance Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thus a good position might not be spoiled by material sense gratification in the form of illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. One spoils an opulent position in the material world by driving cars, spending time in nightclubs or tasting abominable food in restaurants. In these ways, the plundering senses take away all the assets that the conditioned soul has acquired with great difficulty.

SB 5.14.1 - SB 5.14.3