Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.11.33-34
उप्यमानं मुहु: क्षेत्रं स्वयं निर्वीर्यतामियात् ।
न कल्पते पुन: सूत्यै उप्तं बीजं च नश्यति ॥ ३३ ॥
एवं कामाशयं चित्तं कामानामतिसेवया ।
विरज्येत यथा राजन्नग्निवत् कामबिन्दुभि: ॥ ३४ ॥
upyamānaṁ muhuḥ kṣetraṁ
[upyamaanam muhuh kshetram]
svayaṁ nirvīryatām iyāt
[svayam nirveeryataam iyaat]
na kalpate punaḥ sūtyai
[na kalpate punah sootyai]
uptaṁ bījaṁ ca naśyati
[uptam beejam cha nashyati]
evaṁ kāmāśayaṁ cittaṁ
[evam kaamaashayam chittam]
kāmānām atisevayā
[kaamaanaam atisevayaa]
virajyeta yathā rājann
[virajyeta yathaa raajann]
agnivat kāma-bindubhiḥ
[agnivat kaama-bindubhih]
Word-for-word
upyamānam
—
being cultivated
muhuḥ
—
again and again
kṣetram
—
a field
svayam
—
itself
nirvīryatām
—
barrenness
iyāt
—
may obtain
na kalpate
—
is not suitable
punaḥ
—
again
sūtyai
—
for growing further harvests
uptam
—
sown
bījam
—
the seed
ca
—
and
naśyati
—
is spoiled
evam
—
in this way
kāma-āśayam
—
full of lusty desires
cittam
—
the core of the heart
kāmānām
—
of the desirable objects
ati-sevayā
—
by enjoyment over and over again
virajyeta
—
may become detached
yathā
—
just as
rājan
—
O King
agni-vat
—
a fire
kāma-bindubhiḥ
—
by small drops of clarified butter.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
upyamānaṁ muhuḥ kṣetraṁ
upyamānam
being cultivated
muhuḥ
again and again
kṣetram
a field
svayaṁ nirvīryatām iyāt
svayam
itself
nirvīryatām
barrenness
iyāt
may obtain
na kalpate punaḥ sūtyai
na kalpate
is not suitable
punaḥ
again
sūtyai
for growing further harvests
uptaṁ bījaṁ ca naśyati
uptam
sown
bījam
the seed
ca
and
naśyati
is spoiled
evaṁ kāmāśayaṁ cittaṁ
evam
in this way
kāma-āśayam
full of lusty desires
cittam
the core of the heart
kāmānām atisevayā
kāmānām
of the desirable objects
ati-sevayā
by enjoyment over and over again
virajyeta yathā rājann
virajyeta
may become detached
yathā
just as
rājan
O King
agnivat kāma-bindubhiḥ
agni-vat
a fire
kāma-bindubhiḥ
by small drops of clarified butter.
My dear King, if an agricultural field is cultivated again and again, the power of its production decreases, and whatever seeds are sown there are lost. Just as drops of ghee on a fire never extinguish the fire but a flood of ghee will, similarly, overindulgence in lusty desires mitigates such desires entirely.
Purport
If one continuously sprinkles drops of ghee on a fire, the fire will not be extinguished, but if one suddenly puts a lump of ghee on a fire, the fire may possibly be extinguished entirely. Similarly, those who are too sinful and have thus been born in the lower classes are allowed to enjoy sinful activities fully, for thus there is a chance that these activities will become detestful to them, and they will get the opportunity to be purified.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
My dear King! If a field is cultivated again and again, it becomes barren and unsuitable for germinating seeds. Whatever seeds are sown there are lost. Just as small drops of ghee on a fire never extinguish the fire but a flood of ghee will extinguish the fire, similarly, by excessive indulgence in lusty desires, the heart may become detached from such desires entirely.
Because it is impossible for a person with excessive material desires to give up desires by the rules of the Vedas, rather than forbid all enjoyment, one is allowed to enjoy with an honest heart, and detachment will take place eventually. Examples are Yayati and Saubhari. An example is given in two verses. After much cultivation sometimes the field is not suitable for germinating seeds any more. Sometimes, the seeds which are planted are destroyed by the acidic soil. The heart in which desire resides in abundance (kāma āśaya) as various impressions gradually becomes detached. Just as a blazing fire is not reduced by adding drops of ghee, but is extinguished by pouring a huge quantity of ghee on it, so by indulging in a huge amount of enjoyment desire is extinguished.
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Personal Guidance
A field cultivated again and again loses its power; ghee drops sustain a fire, but a flood of ghee extinguishes it. Overindulgence in lusty desires can extinguish them. Saturation, not abstinence, sometimes ends an addiction — for some souls.
Reflection Questions
- Which compulsion in your life might be in the 'flood of ghee' stage and ready to extinguish?
- Where does honoring the way out for some souls keep you compassionate even toward apparent excess?
My note
Source: vedabase.io