SB 11.8.8
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Please note: The synonyms, translation and purport of this verse were composed by disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda
TEXT 8
- yoṣid-dhiraṇyābharaṇāmbarādi-
- dravyeṣu māyā-raciteṣu mūḍhaḥ
- pralobhitātmā hy upabhoga-buddhyā
- pataṅga-van naśyati naṣṭa-dṛṣṭiḥ
SYNONYMS
yoṣit — of women; hiraṇya — golden; ābharaṇa — ornaments; ambara — clothing; ādi — and so on; dravyeṣu — upon seeing such things; māyā — by the illusory energy of the Lord; raciteṣu — manufactured; mūḍhaḥ — a fool with no discrimination; pralobhita — aroused by lusty desires; ātmā — such a person; hi — certainly; upabhoga — for sense gratification; buddhyā — with the desire; pataṅga-vat — like the moth; naśyati — is destroyed; naṣṭa — is ruined; dṛṣṭiḥ — whose intelligence.
Translation and purport composed by disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda
TRANSLATION
A foolish person with no intelligent discrimination is immediately aroused at the sight of a lusty woman beautifully decorated with golden ornaments, fine clothing and other cosmetic features. Being eager for sense gratification, such a fool loses all intelligence and is destroyed just like the moth who rushes into the blazing fire.
PURPORT
Actually, women have the power to attract men through all of the material senses. Men become lusty by seeing the body of a woman, by smelling her fragrance, by hearing her voice, by tasting her lips and by touching her body. However, the foolish relationship based on material sex attraction begins by seeing, and thus rūpa, or form, is very prominent in the process of ruining one's intelligence. This fact has been exploited in modern times by huge pornography industries, which prey on unfortunate men and women. The example of the foolish moth rushing into the fire and destroying itself is most appropriate in this regard, for one who becomes addicted to the momentary pleasure of sex indulgence certainly loses his power to understand the spiritual reality behind dull matter.
A lusty person becomes blind and foolish through sex indulgence, and his soul is lost in the fire of sense gratification. This whole disaster can be avoided by taking seriously to the process of chanting the holy names of the Lord: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His empowered representatives such as Śrīla Prabhupāda have created a movement to save people from the dungeon of material life, and we should all seriously take advantage of this opportunity.