SB 10.70.28
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Please note: The synonyms, translation and purport of this verse were composed by disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda
TEXT 28
- svapnāyitaṁ nṛpa-sukhaṁ para-tantram īśa
- śaśvad-bhayena mṛtakena dhuraṁ vahāmaḥ
- hitvā tad ātmani sukhaṁ tvad-anīha-labhyaṁ
- kliśyāmahe 'ti-kṛpaṇās tava māyayeha
SYNONYMS
svapnāyitam — like a dream; nṛpa — of kings; sukham — the happiness; para-tantram — conditional; īśa — O Lord; śaśvat — perpetually; bhayena — full of fear; mṛtakena — with this corpse; dhuram — burden; vahāmaḥ — we carry; hitvā — rejecting; tat — that; ātmani — within the self; sukham — happiness; tvat — done for You; anīha — by selfless works; labhyam — to be obtained; kliśyāmahe — we suffer; ati — extremely; kṛpaṇāḥ — wretched; tava — Your; māyayā — with the illusory energy; iha — in this world.
Translation and purport composed by disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda
TRANSLATION
O Lord, with this corpselike body, always full of fear, we bear the burden of the relative happiness of kings, which is just like a dream. Thus we have rejected the real happiness of the soul, which comes by rendering selfless service to You. Being so very wretched, we simply suffer in this life under the spell of Your illusory energy.
PURPORT
After expressing their doubts in the previous verse, the kings herein admit that actually they are suffering because of their own foolishness, having given up the eternal happiness of the soul in exchange for the temporary, conditional happiness of a so-called kingly position. Most people make a similar mistake, desiring wealth, power, prestige, aristocratic family and so on, in exchange for their own soul. The kings admit that they have fallen under the spell of the Lord's illusory energy and have mistaken the tremendous anxiety of political leadership for happiness.