FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.20.6

असंसक्त: शरीरेऽस्मिन्नमुनोत्पादिते गृहे । अपत्ये द्रविणे वापि क: कुर्यान्ममतां बुध: ॥ ६ ॥
asaṁsaktaḥ śarīre ’sminn
[asamsaktah shareere ’sminn]
amunotpādite gṛhe
[amunotpaadite grihe]
apatye draviṇe vāpi
[apatye dravine vaapi]
kaḥ kuryān mamatāṁ budhaḥ
[kah kuryaan mamataam budhah]
asaṁsaktaḥ — being unattached śarīre — to the body asmin — this amunā — by such a bodily conception utpādite — produced gṛhe — house apatye — children draviṇe — wealth vā — or api — also kaḥ — who kuryāt — would do mamatām — affinity budhaḥ — learned person.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
asaṁsaktaḥ śarīre ’sminn
asaṁsaktaḥ
being unattached
śarīre
to the body
asmin
this
amunotpādite gṛhe
amunā
by such a bodily conception
utpādite
produced
gṛhe
house
apatye draviṇe vāpi
apatye
children
draviṇe
wealth
vā
or
api
also
kaḥ kuryān mamatāṁ budhaḥ
kaḥ
who
kuryāt
would do
mamatām
affinity
budhaḥ
learned person.
How can a highly learned person who has absolutely no affinity for the bodily conception of life be affected by the bodily conception in regard to house, children, wealth and similar other bodily productions?

The Vedic ritualistic ceremonies are certainly meant to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu. However, by such activities one does not factually satisfy the Lord. Rather, with the sanction of the Lord, one tries to satisfy one’s own senses. In other words, materialists, who are especially interested in sense gratification, are given permission or license to enjoy sense gratification by executing the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. That is called traiguṇya-viṣayā vedāḥ. The Vedic performances are based on the three modes of material nature. Those who are elevated above the material condition are not at all interested in such Vedic performances. Rather, they are interested in the higher duties of transcendental loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such devotional service is called nistraiguṇya. Devotional service to the Lord has nothing to do with the material conception of bodily comfort.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
What wise person, unattached to this body, will have attachment for house, children and wealth, arising from the body?
How could one without affinity for body-identification be entangled by house, children, wealth? Detachment in the root cures attachment in the branches; no branch-level pruning would do as much.
Reflection Questions
  • Which branch (wealth, family, status) am I cutting endlessly because I haven't addressed the root?
  • Where could a single root-shift relieve many surface attachments?
📝 My note

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