FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.23.22

लब्ध्वा जन्मामरप्रार्थ्यं मानुष्यं तद्द्विजाग्र्‍यताम् । तदनाद‍ृत्य ये स्वार्थं घ्नन्ति यान्त्यशुभां गतिम् ॥ २२ ॥
labdhvā janmāmara-prārthyaṁ
[labdhvaa janmaamara-praarthyam]
mānuṣyaṁ tad dvijāgryatām
[maanushyam tad dvijaagryataam]
tad anādṛtya ye svārthaṁ
[tad anaadritya ye svaartham]
ghnanti yānty aśubhāṁ gatim
[ghnanti yaanty ashubhaam gatim]
labdhvā — having attained janma — the birth amara — by the demigods prārthyam — prayed for mānuṣyam — human tat — and in that dvija-āgryatām — the status of being the best of the twice-born tat — that anādṛtya — not appreciating ye — those who sva-artham — their own best interest ghnanti — destroy yānti — they go aśubhām — to an inauspicious gatim — destination.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
labdhvā janmāmara-prārthyaṁ
labdhvā
having attained
janma
the birth
amara
by the demigods
prārthyam
prayed for
mānuṣyaṁ tad dvijāgryatām
mānuṣyam
human
tat
and in that
dvija-āgryatām
the status of being the best of the twice-born
tat
that
tad anādṛtya ye svārthaṁ
anādṛtya
not appreciating
ye
those who
sva-artham
their own best interest
ghnanti yānty aśubhāṁ gatim
ghnanti
destroy
yānti
they go
aśubhām
to an inauspicious
gatim
destination.
Those who obtain human life, which is prayed for even by the demigods, and in that human birth become situated as first-class brāhmaṇas, are extremely fortunate. If they disregard this important opportunity, they are certainly killing their own self-interest and thus achieve a most unfortunate end.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments as follows. “Human birth is better than that of the demigods, ghosts, spirits, animals, trees, lifeless stones, and so forth, because the demigods simply enjoy celestial pleasures, and in other forms of life there is excessive suffering. It is only in human life that one deeply considers one’s ultimate benefit in life. Human birth is therefore more desirable than even that of the demigods.” Within human life the position of a high-class brāhmaṇa is certainly most desirable. If a brāhmaṇa, however, gives up the devotional service of the Lord and works hard like a śūdra simply for the prestige of his community, he is certainly on the platform of material sense gratification. The special qualification of the brāhmaṇas is the spiritual knowledge by which they recognize every living entity to be an eternal servant of the Lord. A brāhmaṇa, free from false ego, thus feels himself lower than a blade of grass and tolerantly offers respect to all living entities. All human beings, and especially the brāhmaṇas, should avoid becoming killers of their own self-interest by neglecting Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the loving service of the Lord. Such neglect paves the way for future suffering.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Those who, obtaining human life which is requested even by the devatās, and, as first-class brāhmaṇas, neglect this important opportunity and destroy their own self-interest, achieve a most unfortunate end.
Human life — prayed for even by demigods — is rare; if a first-class brāhmaṇa wastes it, he kills his self-interest and reaches a low destination. Squandering rare gifts is its own crime.
Reflection Questions
  • What rare gift am I currently underusing?
  • What 'self-interest' would I be killing by continuing to underuse it?
📝 My note

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