FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.14.36

क्‍वचित्क्षीणधन: शय्यासनाशनाद्युपभोगविहीनो यावदप्रतिलब्धमनोरथोपगतादानेऽवसितमतिस्ततस्ततोऽवमानादीनि जनादभिलभते ॥ ३६ ॥
kvacit kṣīṇa-dhanaḥ śayyāsanāśanādy-upabhoga-vihīno yāvad apratilabdha-manorathopagatādāne ’vasita-matis tatas tato ’vamānādīni janād abhilabhate.
[kvachit ksheena-dhanah shayyaasanaashanaady-upabhoga-viheeno yaavad apratilabdha-manorathopagataadaane ’vasita-matis tatas tato ’vamaanaadeeni janaad abhilabhate.]
Word-for-word
kvacit — sometimes kṣīṇa-dhanaḥ — not having sufficient money śayyā-āsana-aśana-ādi — accommodations for sleeping, sitting or eating upabhoga — of material enjoyment vihīnaḥ — being bereft yāvat — as long as apratilabdha — not achieved manoratha — by his desire upagata — obtained ādāne — in seizing by unfair means avasita-matiḥ — whose mind is determined tataḥ — because of that tataḥ — from that avamāna-ādīni — insults and punishment janāt — from the people in general abhilabhate — he gets.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kvacit kṣīṇa-dhanaḥ śayyāsanāśanādy-upabhoga-vihīno yāvad apratilabdha-manorathopagatādāne ’vasita-matis tatas tato ’vamānādīni janād abhilabhate.
kvacit
sometimes
kṣīṇa-dhanaḥ
not having sufficient money
śayyā-āsana-aśana-ādi
accommodations for sleeping, sitting or eating
upabhoga
of material enjoyment
vihīnaḥ
being bereft
yāvat
as long as
apratilabdha
not achieved
manoratha
by his desire
upagata
obtained
ādāne
in seizing by unfair means
avasita-matiḥ
whose mind is determined
tataḥ
because of that
tataḥ
from that
avamāna-ādīni
insults and punishment
janāt
from the people in general
abhilabhate
he gets.
Sometimes, having no money, the conditioned soul does not get sufficient accommodations. Sometimes he doesn’t even have a place to sit, nor does he have the other necessities. In other words, he falls into scarcity, and at that time, when he is unable to secure the necessities by fair means, he decides to seize the property of others unfairly. When he cannot get the things he wants, he simply receives insults from others and thus becomes very morose.
Purport

It is said that necessity knows no law. When the conditioned soul needs money to acquire life’s bare necessities, he adopts any means. He begs, borrows or steals. Instead of receiving these things, he is insulted and chastised. Unless one is very well organized, one cannot accumulate riches by unfair means. Even if one acquires riches by unfair means, he cannot avoid punishment and insult from the government or the general populace. There are many instances of important people’s embezzling money, getting caught and being put in prison. One may be able to avoid the punishment of prison, but one cannot avoid the punishment of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who works through the agency of material nature. This is described in Bhagavad-gītā (7.14) : daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā. Nature is very cruel. She does not excuse anyone. When people do not care for nature, they commit all kinds of sinful activities, and consequently they have to suffer.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Sometimes lacking wealth, and without bed or chair, determined to attain what he desires but cannot attain, he encounters disrespect from others. This verse explains “devoid of wealth, without bed, chair, house, and amusement, he sometimes begs from others” mentioned in SB 5.13.12. Manorathopagatādāne means “he is determined to take the wealth that he desires.”
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
When scarcity bites and fair means fail, the conditioned soul resorts to unfair means and gets punished and insulted. Necessity does not actually know no law — the law catches up. Look for sustainable paths even in scarcity.
Reflection Questions
  • Where is scarcity tempting you toward an unfair shortcut whose punishment you can already predict?
  • Whom could you ask for help instead of stealing or cheating, however small the act?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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