FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.40

इमे जनपदा: स्वृद्धा: सुपक्‍वौषधिवीरुध: । वनाद्रिनद्युदन्वन्तो ह्येधन्ते तव वीक्षितै: ॥ ४० ॥
ime jana-padāḥ svṛddhāḥ
[ime jana-padaah svriddhaah]
supakvauṣadhi-vīrudhaḥ
[supakvaushadhi-veerudhah]
vanādri-nady-udanvanto
[vanaadri-nady-udanvanto]
hy edhante tava vīkṣitaiḥ
[hy edhante tava veekshitaih]
ime — all these jana-padāḥ — cities and towns svṛddhāḥ — flourished supakva — mature auṣadhi — herbs vīrudhaḥ — vegetables vana — forests adri — hills nadī — rivers udanvantaḥ — seas hi — certainly edhante — increasing tava — by You vīkṣitaiḥ — seen.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ime jana-padāḥ svṛddhāḥ
ime
all these
jana-padāḥ
cities and towns
svṛddhāḥ
flourished
supakvauṣadhi-vīrudhaḥ
supakva
mature
auṣadhi
herbs
vīrudhaḥ
vegetables
vanādri-nady-udanvanto
vana
forests
adri
hills
nadī
rivers
udanvantaḥ
seas
hi
certainly
hy edhante tava vīkṣitaiḥ
edhante
increasing
tava
by You
vīkṣitaiḥ
seen.
All these cities and villages are flourishing in all respects because the herbs and grains are in abundance, the trees are full of fruits, the rivers are flowing, the hills are full of minerals and the oceans full of wealth. And this is all due to Your glancing over them.

Human prosperity flourishes by natural gifts and not by gigantic industrial enterprises. The gigantic industrial enterprises are products of a godless civilization, and they cause the destruction of the noble aims of human life. The more we go on increasing such troublesome industries to squeeze out the vital energy of the human being, the more there will be unrest and dissatisfaction of the people in general, although a few only can live lavishly by exploitation. The natural gifts such as grains and vegetables, fruits, rivers, the hills of jewels and minerals, and the seas full of pearls are supplied by the order of the Supreme, and as He desires, material nature produces them in abundance or restricts them at times. The natural law is that the human being may take advantage of these godly gifts by nature and satisfactorily flourish on them without being captivated by the exploitative motive of lording it over material nature. The more we attempt to exploit material nature according to our whims of enjoyment, the more we shall become entrapped by the reaction of such exploitative attempts. If we have sufficient grains, fruits, vegetables and herbs, then what is the necessity of running a slaughterhouse and killing poor animals? A man need not kill an animal if he has sufficient grains and vegetables to eat. The flow of river waters fertilizes the fields, and there is more than what we need. Minerals are produced in the hills, and the jewels in the ocean. If the human civilization has sufficient grains, minerals, jewels, water, milk, etc., then why should it hanker after terrible industrial enterprises at the cost of the labor of some unfortunate men? But all these natural gifts are dependent on the mercy of the Lord. What we need, therefore, is to be obedient to the laws of the Lord and achieve the perfection of human life by devotional service. The indications by Kuntīdevī are just to the point. She desires that God’s mercy be bestowed upon them so that natural prosperity be maintained by His grace.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
This thriving land, filled with ripe herbs and fruit-laden trees, forests, mountains and rivers, has grown prosperous by your glance.
Cities flourish, herbs abundant, trees fruitful, rivers flowing, hills mineral-rich, oceans full — all because You look on us. Ecology and economy alike depend on divine glance.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I taking ordinary abundance as natural rather than as grace?
  • What concrete sign of His glance is in front of me today?
📝 My note

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