FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.13.36

विराग: सर्वकामेभ्य: शिक्षितो मे मधुव्रतात् । कृच्छ्राप्तं मधुवद्वित्तं हत्वाप्यन्यो हरेत्पतिम् ॥ ३६ ॥
virāgaḥ sarva-kāmebhyaḥ
[viraagah sarva-kaamebhyah]
śikṣito me madhu-vratāt
[shikshito me madhu-vrataat]
kṛcchrāptaṁ madhuvad vittaṁ
[krichchraaptam madhuvad vittam]
hatvāpy anyo haret patim
[hatvaapy anyo haret patim]
Word-for-word
virāgaḥ — detachment sarva-kāmebhyaḥ — from all material desires śikṣitaḥ — has been taught me — unto me madhu-vratāt — from the bumblebee kṛcchra — with great difficulties āptam — acquired madhu-vat — as good as honey (“money is honey”) vittam — money hatvā — killing api — even anyaḥ — another haret — takes away patim — the owner.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
virāgaḥ sarva-kāmebhyaḥ
virāgaḥ
detachment
sarva-kāmebhyaḥ
from all material desires
śikṣito me madhu-vratāt
śikṣitaḥ
has been taught
me
unto me
madhu-vratāt
from the bumblebee
kṛcchrāptaṁ madhuvad vittaṁ
kṛcchra
with great difficulties
āptam
acquired
madhu-vat
as good as honey (“money is honey”)
vittam
money
hatvāpy anyo haret patim
hatvā
killing
api
even
anyaḥ
another
haret
takes away
patim
the owner.
From the bumblebee I have learned to be unattached to accumulating money, for although money is as good as honey, anyone can kill its owner and take it away.
Purport

The honey gathered in the comb is taken away by force. Therefore one who accumulates money should realize that he may be harassed by the government or by thieves or even killed by enemies. Especially in this Age of Kali-yuga, it is said that instead of protecting the money of the citizens, the government itself will take away the money with the force of law. The learned brāhmaṇa had therefore decided that he should not accumulate any money. One should own as much as he immediately needs. There is no need to keep a big balance at hand, along with the fear that it may be plundered by the government or by thieves.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
From the bumblebee I have learned to be unattached to all acquisitions, for a person comes and takes away one’s money which was obtained with difficulty and was as sweet as honey after killing the owner to obtain it. He explains what the bee taught him. After attacking or killing the owner of wealth, another person steals the wealth. Thus I am detached from wealth.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
From the bee one learns not to accumulate money — the bee's hoarded honey is taken by force; the owner may be killed. Wealth signals to the wrong people. Quiet sufficiency is safer than visible abundance.
Reflection Questions
  • Where has visible wealth made you a target or a worry?
  • What hidden simplicity could replace what visible accumulation costs you?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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