FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.6.14

कुटुम्बपोषाय वियन्निजायु र्न बुध्यतेऽर्थं विहतं प्रमत्त: । सर्वत्र तापत्रयदु:खितात्मा निर्विद्यते न स्वकुटुम्बराम: ॥ १४ ॥
kuṭumba-poṣāya viyan nijāyur
[kutumba-poshaaya viyan nijaayur]
na budhyate ’rthaṁ vihataṁ pramattaḥ
[na budhyate ’rtham vihatam pramattah]
sarvatra tāpa-traya-duḥkhitātmā
[sarvatra taapa-traya-duhkhitaatmaa]
nirvidyate na sva-kuṭumba-rāmaḥ
[nirvidyate na sva-kutumba-raamah]
kuṭumba — of family members poṣāya — for the maintenance viyat — declining nija-āyuḥ — his lifetime na — not budhyate — understands artham — the interest or purpose of life vihatam — spoiled pramattaḥ — being mad in material conditions sarvatra — everywhere tāpa-traya — by the threefold miserable conditions (adhyātmika, adhidaivika and adhibhautika) duḥkhita — being distressed ātmā — himself nirvidyate — becomes remorseful na — not sva-kuṭumba-rāmaḥ — enjoying simply by maintaining the members of the family.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kuṭumba-poṣāya viyan nijāyur
kuṭumba
of family members
poṣāya
for the maintenance
viyat
declining
nija-āyuḥ
his lifetime
na budhyate ’rthaṁ vihataṁ pramattaḥ
na
not
budhyate
understands
sarvatra tāpa-traya-duḥkhitātmā
artham
the interest or purpose of life
nirvidyate na sva-kuṭumba-rāmaḥ
vihatam
spoiled
pramattaḥ
being mad in material conditions
sarvatra
everywhere
tāpa-traya
by the threefold miserable conditions (adhyātmika, adhidaivika and adhibhautika)
duḥkhita
being distressed
ātmā
himself
nirvidyate
becomes remorseful
na
not
sva-kuṭumba-rāmaḥ
enjoying simply by maintaining the members of the family.
One who is too attached cannot understand that he is wasting his valuable life for the maintenance of his family. He also fails to understand that the purpose of human life, a life suitable for realization of the Absolute Truth, is being imperceptibly spoiled. However, he is very cleverly attentive to seeing that not a single farthing is lost by mismanagement. Thus although an attached person in material existence always suffers from threefold miseries, he does not develop a distaste for the way of material existence.

A foolish man does not understand the values of human life, nor does he understand how he is wasting his valuable life simply for the maintenance of his family members. He is expert in calculating the loss of pounds, shillings and pence, but he is so foolish that he does not know how much money he is losing, even according to material considerations. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita gives the example that a moment of life cannot be purchased in exchange for millions of dollars. A foolish person, however, wastes such a valuable life without knowing how much he is losing, even according to monetary calculations. Although a materialistic person is expert in calculating costs and doing business, he does not realize that he is misusing his costly life for want of knowledge. Even though such a materialistic person is always suffering threefold miseries, he is not intelligent enough to cease his materialistic way of life.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Inattentive, he does not understand that his life span has dwindled away and his real goal has been destroyed in maintaining his family. Though always suffering the three miseries, because he enjoys with his family, he does not regret this. He does not understand that his lifespan is dwindling and the goal of human life is lost. He is only aware of running out of cakes and sweets. However he does not regret this.
The too-attached cannot see that valuable life is being squandered on family maintenance, while purpose-of-life slowly spoils — yet he tracks every penny vigilantly. Misallocated attention is the deeper bankruptcy. Cāṇakya: a moment of life cannot be bought back for millions.
Reflection Questions
  • Where is your attention finely tuned that does not matter, and crudely numb where it does?
  • What recent hour, if you could buy it back, would you?
📝 My note

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