FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.9.7

दैवेन ते हतधियो भवत: प्रसङ्गा- त्सर्वाशुभोपशमनाद्विमुखेन्द्रिया ये । कुर्वन्ति कामसुखलेशलवाय दीना लोभाभिभूतमनसोऽकुशलानि शश्वत् ॥ ७ ॥
daivena te hata-dhiyo bhavataḥ prasaṅgāt
[daivena te hata-dhiyo bhavatah prasangaat]
sarvāśubhopaśamanād vimukhendriyā ye
[sarvaashubhopashamanaad vimukhendriyaa ye]
kurvanti kāma-sukha-leśa-lavāya dīnā
[kurvanti kaama-sukha-lesha-lavaaya deenaa]
lobhābhibhūta-manaso ’kuśalāni śaśvat
[lobhaabhibhoota-manaso ’kushalaani shashvat]
Word-for-word
daivena — by fate of misfortune te — they hata-dhiyaḥ — bereft of memory bhavataḥ — of You prasaṅgāt — from the topics sarva — all aśubha — inauspiciousness upaśamanāt — curbing down vimukha — turned against indriyāḥ — senses ye — those kurvanti — act kāma — sense gratification sukha — happiness leśa — brief lavāya — for a moment only dīnāḥ — poor fellows lobha-abhibhūta — overwhelmed by greed manasaḥ — of one whose mind akuśalāni — inauspicious activities śaśvat — always.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
daivena te hata-dhiyo bhavataḥ prasaṅgāt
daivena
by fate of misfortune
te
they
hata-dhiyaḥ
bereft of memory
bhavataḥ
of You
prasaṅgāt
from the topics
sarvāśubhopaśamanād vimukhendriyā ye
sarva
all
aśubha
inauspiciousness
upaśamanāt
curbing down
vimukha
turned against
kurvanti kāma-sukha-leśa-lavāya dīnā
indriyāḥ
senses
ye
those
lobhābhibhūta-manaso ’kuśalāni śaśvat
kurvanti
act
kāma
sense gratification
sukha
happiness
leśa
brief
lavāya
for a moment only
dīnāḥ
poor fellows
lobha-abhibhūta
overwhelmed by greed
manasaḥ
of one whose mind
akuśalāni
inauspicious activities
śaśvat
always.
O my Lord, persons who are bereft of the all-auspicious performance of chanting and hearing about Your transcendental activities are certainly unfortunate and are also bereft of good sense. They engage in inauspicious activities, enjoying sense gratification for a very little while.
Purport

The next question is why people are against such auspicious activities as chanting and hearing the glories and pastimes of the Lord, which can bring total freedom from the cares and anxieties of material existence. The only answer to this question is that they are unfortunate because of supernatural control due to their offensive activities performed simply for the sake of sense gratification. The Lord’s pure devotees, however, take compassion upon such unfortunate persons and, in a missionary spirit, try to persuade them into the line of devotional service. Only by the grace of pure devotees can such unfortunate men be elevated to the position of transcendental service.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Those miserable person who have lost their intelligence because of offense to you, whose sense are turned away from things associated with you, which cause destruction of all inauspiciousness, and whose minds are controlled by greed for a particle of sensual happiness, continually commit sinful activities. “Well, if that is case, then everyone would be intelligent and surrender to my feet. Who would be left in the world?” This verse replies. Daivena means by evil effects arising from offenses to you. Akuśalāni means activities for enjoyment and forbidden actions.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The verse places hearing kṛṣṇa-kathā at the centre of spiritual practice. It is not preparation for some later realization — it is itself the work that does the rewiring. The verse anchors this in material existence.
Reflection Questions
  • What podcast or playlist would you have to give up to make room for daily kṛṣṇa-kathā?
  • What would change if you treated 30 minutes of kṛṣṇa-kathā as non-negotiable as a meal?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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