FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.6.17-18

यतो न कश्चित् क्व‍ च कुत्रचिद् वा दीन: स्वमात्मानमलं समर्थ: । विमोचितुं कामद‍ृशां विहार- क्रीडामृगो यन्निगडो विसर्ग: ॥ १७ ॥ ततो विदूरात् परिहृत्य दैत्या दैत्येषु सङ्गं विषयात्मकेषु । उपेत नारायणमादिदेवं स मुक्तसङ्गैरिषितोऽपवर्ग: ॥ १८ ॥
yato na kaścit kva ca kutracid vā
[yato na kashchit kva cha kutrachid vaa]
dīnaḥ svam ātmānam alaṁ samarthaḥ
[deenah svam aatmaanam alam samarthah]
vimocituṁ kāma-dṛśāṁ vihāra-
[vimochitum kaama-drishaam vihaara-]
krīḍā-mṛgo yan-nigaḍo visargaḥ
[kreedaa-mrigo yan-nigado visargah]
tato vidūrāt parihṛtya daityā
[tato vidooraat parihritya daityaa]
daityeṣu saṅgaṁ viṣayātmakeṣu
[daityeshu sangam vishayaatmakeshu]
upeta nārāyaṇam ādi-devaṁ
[upeta naaraayanam aadi-devam]
sa mukta-saṅgair iṣito ’pavargaḥ
[sa mukta-sangair ishito ’pavargah]
yataḥ — because na — never kaścit — anyone kva — in any place ca — also kutracit — at any time vā — or dīnaḥ — having a poor fund of knowledge svam — own ātmānam — self alam — exceedingly samarthaḥ — able vimocitum — to liberate kāma-dṛśām — of lusty women vihāra — in the sexual enjoyment krīḍā-mṛgaḥ — a playboy yat — in whom nigaḍaḥ — which is the shackle of material bondage visargaḥ — the expansions of family relationships tataḥ — in such circumstances vidūrāt — from far away parihṛtya — giving up daityāḥ — O my friends, sons of the demons daityeṣu — among the demons saṅgam — association viṣaya-ātma-keṣu — who are too addicted to sense enjoyment upeta — one should approach nārāyaṇam — Lord Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead ādi-devam — the origin of all the demigods saḥ — He mukta-saṅgaiḥ — by the association of liberated persons iṣitaḥ — desired apavargaḥ — the path of liberation.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yato na kaścit kva ca kutracid vā
yataḥ
because
na
never
kaścit
anyone
kva
in any place
ca
also
kutracit
at any time
vā
or
dīnaḥ svam ātmānam alaṁ samarthaḥ
dīnaḥ
having a poor fund of knowledge
svam
own
ātmānam
self
alam
exceedingly
samarthaḥ
able
vimocituṁ kāma-dṛśāṁ vihāra-
vimocitum
to liberate
kāma-dṛśām
of lusty women
vihāra
in the sexual enjoyment
krīḍā-mṛgo yan-nigaḍo visargaḥ
krīḍā-mṛgaḥ
a playboy
yat
in whom
nigaḍaḥ
which is the shackle of material bondage
visargaḥ
the expansions of family relationships
tato vidūrāt parihṛtya daityā
tataḥ
in such circumstances
vidūrāt
from far away
parihṛtya
giving up
daityāḥ
O my friends, sons of the demons
daityeṣu saṅgaṁ viṣayātmakeṣu
daityeṣu
among the demons
saṅgam
association
viṣaya-ātma-keṣu
who are too addicted to sense enjoyment
upeta nārāyaṇam ādi-devaṁ
upeta
one should approach
nārāyaṇam
Lord Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
ādi-devam
the origin of all the demigods
sa mukta-saṅgair iṣito ’pavargaḥ
saḥ
He
mukta-saṅgaiḥ
by the association of liberated persons
iṣitaḥ
desired
apavargaḥ
the path of liberation.
My dear friends, O sons of the demons, it is certain that no one bereft of knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead has been able to liberate himself from material bondage at any time or in any country. Rather, those bereft of knowledge of the Lord are bound by the material laws. They are factually addicted to sense gratification, and their target is woman. Indeed, they are actually playthings in the hands of attractive women. Victimized by such a conception of life, they become surrounded by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and thus they are shackled to material bondage. Those who are very much addicted to this conception of life are called demons. Therefore, although you are sons of demons, keep aloof from such persons and take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, the origin of all the demigods, because the ultimate goal for the devotees of Nārāyaṇa is liberation from the bondage of material existence.

Prahlāda Mahārāja has maintained the philosophical point of view that one should give up the dark well of family life and go to the forest to take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead ( hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta ). In this verse also, he stresses the same point. In the history of human society, no one, at any time or any place, has been liberated because of too much affection and attachment for his family. Even in those who are apparently very educated, the same family attachment is there. They cannot give up the association of their families, even in old age or invalidity, for they are attached to sense enjoyment. As we have several times discussed, yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham: so-called householders are simply attracted by sexual enjoyment. Thus they keep themselves shackled in family life, and furthermore they want their children to be shackled in the same way. Playing the parts of playboys in the hands of women, they glide down to the darkest regions of material existence. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām. Because they are unable to control their senses, they continue a life of chewing the chewed and therefore descend to the darkest material regions. One should give up the association of such demons and adhere to the association of devotees. Thus one will be able to be liberated from material bondage.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O demons! Since no one, at any time, in any place, being helpless, has been able to free himself from family life, this pet animal enjoyed by women who are chains causing rebirth in this world should completely reject the association of demons who are absorbed in material pleasure and surrender to Nārāyaṇa the Supreme Lord. Persons desiring liberation seek that Lord who gives liberation. Since no one, even knowing scripture, in any place or time, has been able to free himself from family life, one should surrender to Nārāyaṇa. The human being is the pet animal for pleasure (vihāra-kṛḍa-mṛgaḥ) of women, who are chains which produce birth (yat nigaḍaḥ visargaḥ). Instead of vihāra another version has vihāram. The word then modifies ātmānam. He cannot free himself, the object of enjoyment for women. The Lord is the cause of freedom from material bondage. Iṣitaḥ stands for iṣṭaḥ (sought).
No one bereft of knowledge of God has ever been liberated anywhere, anytime. Sense-gratifiers become playthings of attractive partners and bound by descendants. Even from a demon family, take shelter of Nārāyaṇa — origin of even the demigods — and walk free.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do you treat your background as a verdict instead of a starting point?
  • What single act of shelter-taking could you offer this week?
📝 My note

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