FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.23.53

एतावतालं कालेन व्यतिक्रान्तेन मे प्रभो । इन्द्रियार्थप्रसङ्गेन परित्यक्तपरात्मन: ॥ ५३ ॥
etāvatālaṁ kālena
[etaavataalam kaalena]
vyatikrāntena me prabho
[vyatikraantena me prabho]
indriyārtha-prasaṅgena
[indriyaartha-prasangena]
parityakta-parātmanaḥ
[parityakta-paraatmanah]
etāvatā — so much alam — for nothing kālena — time vyatikrāntena — passed by me — my prabho — O my lord indriya-artha — sense gratification prasaṅgena — in the matter of indulging parityakta — disregarding para-ātmanaḥ — knowledge of the Supreme Lord.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
etāvatālaṁ kālena
etāvatā
so much
alam
for nothing
kālena
time
vyatikrāntena me prabho
vyatikrāntena
passed by
me
my
prabho
O my lord
indriyārtha-prasaṅgena
indriya-artha
sense gratification
prasaṅgena
in the matter of indulging
parityakta-parātmanaḥ
parityakta
disregarding
para-ātmanaḥ
knowledge of the Supreme Lord.
Until now we have simply wasted so much of our time in sense gratification, neglecting to cultivate knowledge of the Supreme Lord.

Human life is not meant to be wasted, like that of the animals, in sense gratificatory activities. Animals always engage in sense gratification — eating, sleeping, fearing and mating — but that is not the engagement of the human being, although, because of the material body, there is need of sense gratification according to a regulative principle. So in effect Devahūti said to her husband, “So far we have these daughters, and we have enjoyed material life in the aerial mansion, traveling all over the universe. These boons have come by your grace, but they have all been for sense gratification. Now there must be something for my spiritual advancement.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O master! So much time has passed uselessly in sense pleasure, without thoughts of the Supreme Lord. “By your clever words, do you want more material pleasure from me?” In shyness she replies. I have wasted so much time in sense pleasure, since I have rejected the Supreme Lord. This means that time has been wasted.
The verse treats sense gratification as the path of least resistance, not as evil. The work is to introduce a little resistance — a small rule, kept — and let the soul re-emerge.
Reflection Questions
  • What is your mind feeding on most often, and how is that diet shaping your devotion?
  • What would it look like to lead the mind, gently, the way you would lead a child?
📝 My note

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