FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.13.3

प्रभूतवीरुत्तृणगुल्मगह्वरे कठोरदंशैर्मशकैरुपद्रुत: । क्‍वचित्तु गन्धर्वपुरं प्रपश्यति क्‍वचित्‍क्‍वचिच्चाशुरयोल्मुकग्रहम् ॥ ३ ॥
prabhūta-vīrut-tṛṇa-gulma-gahvare
[prabhoota-veerut-trina-gulma-gahvare]
kaṭhora-daṁśair maśakair upadrutaḥ
[kathora-damshair mashakair upadrutah]
kvacit tu gandharva-puraṁ prapaśyati
[kvachit tu gandharva-puram prapashyati]
kvacit kvacic cāśu-rayolmuka-graham
[kvachit kvachich chaashu-rayolmuka-graham]
Word-for-word
prabhūta — a very large number vīrut — of creepers tṛṇa — of varieties of grass gulma — of thickets gahvare — in bowers kaṭhora — cruel daṁśaiḥ — by bites maśakaiḥ — by mosquitoes upadrutaḥ — disturbed kvacit — sometimes tu — but gandharva-puram — a false palace created by the Gandharvas prapaśyati — be sees kvacit — and sometimes kvacit — sometimes ca — and āśu-raya — very quickly ulmuka — like a meteor graham — a fiend.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
prabhūta-vīrut-tṛṇa-gulma-gahvare
prabhūta
a very large number
vīrut
of creepers
tṛṇa
of varieties of grass
gulma
of thickets
gahvare
in bowers
kaṭhora-daṁśair maśakair upadrutaḥ
kaṭhora
cruel
daṁśaiḥ
by bites
maśakaiḥ
by mosquitoes
upadrutaḥ
disturbed
kvacit tu gandharva-puraṁ prapaśyati
kvacit
sometimes
tu
but
gandharva-puram
a false palace created by the Gandharvas
prapaśyati
be sees
kvacit kvacic cāśu-rayolmuka-graham
kvacit
and sometimes
kvacit
sometimes
ca
and
āśu-raya
very quickly
ulmuka
like a meteor
graham
a fiend.
In this forest there are dense bowers composed of thickets of bushes, grass and creepers. In these bowers the conditioned soul is always disturbed by cruelly biting mosquitoes [envious people]. Sometimes he sees an imaginary palace in the forest, and sometimes he is bewildered by seeing a fleeting fiend or ghost, which appears like a meteor in the sky.
Purport

The material household is actually a hole of fruitive activity. To earn a livelihood one engages in different industries and trades, and sometimes one performs great sacrifices to go to higher planetary systems. Apart from this, at least everyone is engaged in earning a livelihood in some profession or occupation. In these dealings, one has to meet many undesirable people, and their behavior is compared to the biting of mosquitoes. This creates very undesirable conditions. Even in the midst of these disturbances, one imagines that he is going to construct a grand house and live there permanently, although he knows that he cannot. Gold is compared to a quickly fleeting fiend, which appears like a meteor in the sky. It displays itself for a moment and is then gone. Generally karmīs are attracted to gold or money, but these are compared herein to ghosts and witches.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Afflicted by mosquitoes with harsh biting in dense bowers of shrubs, grass and vines, he sometimes sees a city in the sky, and sometimes sees ghosts moving quickly in the sky like firebrands. In his house, like a bower, abundant in material actions like dense shrubs, he is disturbed by evil men who are like mosquitoes. The body and house are temporary like the city in the sky. He sees the city in the sky as if were real and permanent (prapaśyati). Sometimes he sees piśācas who take the form of firebrands and move quickly in the sky. This refers to seeing gold which he regards as valuable.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
In the forest there are biting mosquitoes (envious people), imaginary palaces (fantasies), and ghost-like apparitions. Daily life is full of small bites, false hopes, and fleeting distractions. Don't let these convince you they are reality.
Reflection Questions
  • What 'imaginary palace' have you been spending energy maintaining lately?
  • Which 'mosquito bites' in your environment are draining more attention than they deserve?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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