Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.18.10
यस्त्वेतत् कृच्छ्रतश्चीर्णं तपो नि:श्रेयसं महत् ।
कामायाल्पीयसे युञ्ज्याद् बालिश: कोऽपरस्तत: ॥ १० ॥
yas tv etat kṛcchrataś cīrṇaṁ
[yas tv etat krichchratash cheernam]
tapo niḥśreyasaṁ mahat
[tapo nihshreyasam mahat]
kāmāyālpīyase yuñjyād
[kaamaayaalpeeyase yunjyaad]
bāliśaḥ ko ’paras tataḥ
[baalishah ko ’paras tatah]
Word-for-word
yaḥ
—
one who
tu
—
indeed
etat
—
this
kṛcchrataḥ
—
with great penance
cīrṇam
—
for a long time
tapaḥ
—
austerity
niḥśreyasam
—
awarding ultimate liberation
mahat
—
glorious
kāmāya
—
for sense gratification
alpīyase
—
insignificant
yuñjyāt
—
practices
bāliśaḥ
—
such a fool
kaḥ
—
who
aparaḥ
—
else
tataḥ
—
besides him.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yas tv etat kṛcchrataś cīrṇaṁ
yaḥ
one who
tu
indeed
etat
this
kṛcchrataḥ
with great penance
cīrṇam
for a long time
tapo niḥśreyasaṁ mahat
tapaḥ
austerity
niḥśreyasam
awarding ultimate liberation
mahat
glorious
kāmāyālpīyase yuñjyād
kāmāya
for sense gratification
alpīyase
insignificant
yuñjyāt
practices
bāliśaḥ ko ’paras tataḥ
bāliśaḥ
such a fool
kaḥ
who
aparaḥ
else
tataḥ
besides him.
One who with long endeavor executes this painful but exalted penance, which awards ultimate liberation, simply to achieve insignificant sense gratification must be considered the greatest fool.
Purport
Although the process of vānaprastha described by Lord Kṛṣṇa is so glorious that even the consolation prize is promotion to Maharloka, one who consciously performs this process for such promotion to heaven is certainly the greatest fool. The Lord does not want this process to be abused or exploited by materialistic rascals, for the ultimate goal is love of Godhead.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
One who with difficulty executes this painful but exalted penance for insignificant material pleasure must be considered the greatest fool.
The person who practices these austerities with material desires is criticized.
Personal Guidance
Whoever undertakes this exalted, painful penance for petty sense gratification is the greatest fool. Using the highest tools for trivial ends is named as foolishness.
Reflection Questions
- Where do I use spiritual tools for material ends, even subtly?
- What does that say about my real values?
My note
Source: vedabase.io