Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.15.20
कामस्यान्तं हि क्षुत्तृड्भ्यां क्रोधस्यैतत्फलोदयात् ।
जनो याति न लोभस्य जित्वा भुक्त्वा दिशो भुव: ॥ २० ॥
kāmasyāntaṁ hi kṣut-tṛḍbhyāṁ
[kaamasyaantam hi kshut-tridbhyaam]
krodhasyaitat phalodayāt
[krodhasyaitat phalodayaat]
jano yāti na lobhasya
[jano yaati na lobhasya]
jitvā bhuktvā diśo bhuvaḥ
[jitvaa bhuktvaa disho bhuvah]
Word-for-word
kāmasya
—
of the desire for sense gratification or the urgent needs of the body
antam
—
end
hi
—
indeed
kṣut-tṛḍbhyām
—
by one who is very hungry or thirsty
krodhasya
—
of anger
etat
—
this
phala-udayāt
—
by venting chastisement and its reaction
janaḥ
—
a person
yāti
—
crosses over
na
—
not
lobhasya
—
greed
jitvā
—
conquering
bhuktvā
—
enjoying
diśaḥ
—
all directions
bhuvaḥ
—
of the globe.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kāmasyāntaṁ hi kṣut-tṛḍbhyāṁ
kāmasya
of the desire for sense gratification or the urgent needs of the body
antam
end
hi
indeed
kṣut-tṛḍbhyām
by one who is very hungry or thirsty
krodhasyaitat phalodayāt
krodhasya
of anger
etat
this
phala-udayāt
by venting chastisement and its reaction
jano yāti na lobhasya
janaḥ
a person
yāti
crosses over
na
not
lobhasya
greed
jitvā bhuktvā diśo bhuvaḥ
jitvā
conquering
bhuktvā
enjoying
diśaḥ
all directions
bhuvaḥ
of the globe.
The strong bodily desires and needs of a person disturbed by hunger and thirst are certainly satisfied when he eats. Similarly, if one becomes very angry, that anger is satisfied by chastisement and its reaction. But as for greed, even if a greedy person has conquered all the directions of the world or has enjoyed everything in the world, still he will not be satisfied.
Purport
In Bhagavad-gītā (3.37) it is stated that lust, anger and greed are the causes of the conditioned soul’s bondage in this material world. Kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ . When strong lusty desires for sense gratification are unfulfilled, one becomes angry. This anger can be satisfied when one chastises his enemy, but when there is an increase in lobha, or greed, which is the greatest enemy caused by rajo-guṇa, the mode of passion, how can one advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness?
If one is very greedy to enhance his Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this is a great boon. Tatra laulyam ekalaṁ mūlam . This is the best path available.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
One can stop lust by becoming hungry and thirsty. One can stop anger by inflicting violence on the object of anger. But one cannot stop greed by conquering all directions and enjoying the whole earth.
Dissatisfaction arises from greed. Because greed is difficult to conquer, dissatisfaction is hard to remove. This is explained in two verses. When one is hungry and thirsty from not eating, because of the action of burning dhātus, one can stop lust. Anger is stopped by violence (phalodayāt). One cannot stop greed, composed of desires, though one conquers the directions or enjoys the earth. Greed for food however is stopped by filling the belly. Because it is not difficult to stop, it is not mentioned here separately.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Hunger is sated by eating, anger by reprisal — but greed grows even after conquering all directions. Greed has no natural end; only spiritual satisfaction stops it. Other vices have natural off-switches; greed does not.
Reflection Questions
- Where is greed in you pretending to be 'just one more reasonable acquisition'?
- What would 'enough' look like, and why have you never let yourself reach it?
My note
Source: vedabase.io