FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.26.10

यस्त्विह वा एतदहमिति ममेदमिति भूतद्रोहेण केवलं स्वकुटुम्बमेवानुदिनं प्रपुष्णाति स तदिह विहाय स्वयमेव तदशुभेन रौरवे निपतति ॥ १० ॥
yas tv iha vā etad aham iti mamedam iti bhūta-droheṇa kevalaṁ sva-kuṭumbam evānudinaṁ prapuṣṇāti sa tad iha vihāya svayam eva tad-aśubhena raurave nipatati.
[yas tv iha vaa etad aham iti mamedam iti bhoota-drohena kevalam sva-kutumbam evaanudinam prapushnaati sa tad iha vihaaya svayam eva tad-ashubhena raurave nipatati.]
yaḥ — one who tu — but iha — in this life vā — or etat — this body aham — I iti — thus mama — mine idam — this iti — thus bhūta-droheṇa — by envy of other living entities kevalam — alone sva-kuṭumbam — his family members eva — only anudinam — day to day prapuṣṇāti — supports saḥ — such a person tat — that iha — here vihāya — giving up svayam — personally eva — certainly tat — of that aśubhena — by the sin raurave — in Raurava nipatati — he falls down.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yas tv iha vā etad aham iti mamedam iti bhūta-droheṇa kevalaṁ sva-kuṭumbam evānudinaṁ prapuṣṇāti sa tad iha vihāya svayam eva tad-aśubhena raurave nipatati.
yaḥ
one who
tu
but
iha
in this life
vā
or
etat
this body
aham
I
iti
thus
mama
mine
idam
this
iti
thus
bhūta-droheṇa
by envy of other living entities
kevalam
alone
sva-kuṭumbam
his family members
eva
only
anudinam
day to day
prapuṣṇāti
supports
saḥ
such a person
tat
that
iha
here
vihāya
giving up
svayam
personally
eva
certainly
tat
of that
aśubhena
by the sin
raurave
in Raurava
nipatati
he falls down.
A person who accepts his body as his self works very hard day and night for money to maintain his own body and the bodies of his wife and children. While working to maintain himself and his family, he may commit violence against other living entities. Such a person is forced to give up his body and his family at the time of death, when he suffers the reaction for his envy of other creatures by being thrown into the hell called Raurava.

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said:

yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma-ijya-dhīḥ yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ

“One who accepts this bodily bag of three elements [bile, mucus and air] as his self, who has an affinity for an intimate relationship with his wife and children, who considers his land worshipable, who takes bath in the waters of the holy places of pilgrimage but never takes advantage of those persons who are in actual knowledge — he is no better than an ass or a cow.” ( Bhāg. 10.84.13 ) There are two classes of men absorbed in the material concept of life. Out of ignorance, a man in the first class thinks his body to be his self, and therefore he is certainly like an animal ( sa eva go-kharaḥ ). The person in the second class, however, not only thinks his material body to be his self, but also commits all kinds of sinful activities to maintain his body. He cheats everyone to acquire money for his family and his self, and he becomes envious of others without reason. Such a person is thrown into the hell known as Raurava. If one simply considers his body to be his self, as do the animals, he is not very sinful. However, if one needlessly commits sins to maintain his body, he is put into the hell known as Raurava. This is the opinion of Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. Although animals are certainly in the bodily concept of life, they do not commit any sins to maintain their bodies, mates or offspring. Therefore animals do not go to hell. However, when a human being acts enviously and cheats others to maintain his body, he is put into a hellish condition.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
A person who, thinking in terms of me and mine, maintains his own body and the bodies of his wife and children by violence against other living entities, falls into the hell called Raurava because of that violence after giving up his body and his family. He thinks “This is my body and this object is mine.” If he does not commit violence to support his family while thinking of I and mine, then he does not fall to Raurava.
Related verses
One who identifies with the body and commits violence to maintain it ends in Raurava. Bodily identification is the engine of harmful action. Without that 'I am this body' thought, much violence would simply not occur.
Reflection Questions
  • Which of my harmful behaviors run on the assumption that 'this body's survival matters more than that life'?
  • What practice loosens the body-identification that drives my worst impulses?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 26