Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.13.12
क्वचित्क्वचित्क्षीणधनस्तु तस्मिन्
शय्यासनस्थानविहारहीन: ।
याचन् परादप्रतिलब्धकाम:
पारक्यदृष्टिर्लभतेऽवमानम् ॥ १२ ॥
kvacit kvacit kṣīṇa-dhanas tu tasmin
[kvachit kvachit ksheena-dhanas tu tasmin]
śayyāsana-sthāna-vihāra-hīnaḥ
[shayyaasana-sthaana-vihaara-heenah]
yācan parād apratilabdha-kāmaḥ
[yaachan paraad apratilabdha-kaamah]
pārakya-dṛṣṭir labhate ’vamānam
[paarakya-drishtir labhate ’vamaanam]
Word-for-word
kvacit kvacit
—
sometimes
kṣīṇa-dhanaḥ
—
becoming bereft of all riches
tu
—
but
tasmin
—
in that forest
śayyā
—
of bedding for lying down
āsana
—
of a sitting place
sthāna
—
of a residential house
vihāra
—
of enjoyment with a family
hīnaḥ
—
being bereft
yācan
—
begging
parāt
—
from others (friends and relatives)
apratilabdha-kāmaḥ
—
not getting his desires fulfilled
pārakya-dṛṣṭiḥ
—
becomes greedy for the wealth of others
labhate
—
he obtains
avamānam
—
dishonor.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kvacit kvacit kṣīṇa-dhanas tu tasmin
kvacit kvacit
sometimes
kṣīṇa-dhanaḥ
becoming bereft of all riches
tu
but
tasmin
in that forest
śayyāsana-sthāna-vihāra-hīnaḥ
śayyā
of bedding for lying down
āsana
of a sitting place
sthāna
of a residential house
vihāra
of enjoyment with a family
hīnaḥ
being bereft
yācan parād apratilabdha-kāmaḥ
yācan
begging
parāt
from others (friends and relatives)
apratilabdha-kāmaḥ
not getting his desires fulfilled
pārakya-dṛṣṭir labhate ’vamānam
pārakya-dṛṣṭiḥ
becomes greedy for the wealth of others
labhate
he obtains
avamānam
dishonor.
On the forest path of material existence, sometimes a person is without wealth and due to this does not have a proper home, bed or sitting place, nor proper family enjoyment. He therefore goes to beg money from others, but when his desires are not fulfilled by begging, he wants to borrow or steal the property of others. Thus he is insulted in society.
Purport
The principles of beg, borrow or steal are very appropriate in this material world. When one is in want, he begs, borrows or steals. If begging is unsuccessful, he borrows. If he cannot pay, he steals, and when he is caught, he is insulted. This is the law of material existence. No one can live here very honestly; therefore by trickery, cheating, begging, borrowing or stealing, one tries to satisfy his senses. Thus no one in this material world is living peacefully.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Devoid of wealth, without bed, chair, house, or amusement, he sometimes begs from others. Unsatisfied in his desires, desiring the wealth of others, he becomes disgraced.
Because he does not get enough from begging from others, he desires (dṛṣṭiḥ) others’ wealth and is consequently disrespected.
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Personal Guidance
Without enough, people beg, borrow, and steal — and get insulted for it. The whole machinery of material existence runs on these three failing strategies, and it leaves no one truly at peace. The way out is not better strategy but a different aim.
Reflection Questions
- Which of the three — begging, borrowing, stealing — is your default strategy for getting what you want?
- What would aiming differently entirely, rather than refining your strategy, look like?
My note
Source: vedabase.io