Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.19.23
सप्तद्वीपाधिपतयो नृपा वैन्यगयादय: ।
अर्थै: कामैर्गता नान्तं तृष्णाया इति न: श्रुतम् ॥ २३ ॥
sapta-dvīpādhipatayo
[sapta-dveepaadhipatayo]
nṛpā vaiṇya-gayādayaḥ
[nripaa vainya-gayaadayah]
arthaiḥ kāmair gatā nāntaṁ
[arthaih kaamair gataa naantam]
tṛṣṇāyā iti naḥ śrutam
[trishnaayaa iti nah shrutam]
Word-for-word
sapta-dvīpa-adhipatayaḥ
—
those who are proprietors of the seven islands
nṛpāḥ
—
such kings
vaiṇya-gaya-ādayaḥ
—
Mahārāja Pṛthu, Mahārāja Gaya and others
arthaiḥ
—
for fulfillment of ambition
kāmaiḥ
—
for satisfying one’s desires
gatāḥ na
—
could not reach
antam
—
the end
tṛṣṇāyāḥ
—
of their ambitions
iti
—
thus
naḥ
—
by Us
śrutam
—
has been heard.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sapta-dvīpādhipatayo
sapta-dvīpa-adhipatayaḥ
those who are proprietors of the seven islands
nṛpā vaiṇya-gayādayaḥ
nṛpāḥ
such kings
vaiṇya-gaya-ādayaḥ
Mahārāja Pṛthu, Mahārāja Gaya and others
arthaiḥ kāmair gatā nāntaṁ
arthaiḥ
for fulfillment of ambition
kāmaiḥ
for satisfying one’s desires
gatāḥ na
could not reach
antam
the end
tṛṣṇāyā iti naḥ śrutam
tṛṣṇāyāḥ
of their ambitions
iti
thus
naḥ
by Us
śrutam
has been heard.
We have heard that although powerful kings like Mahārāja Pṛthu and Mahārāja Gaya achieved proprietorship over the seven dvīpas, they could not achieve satisfaction or find the end of their ambitions.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
We have heard that although powerful kings like Mahārāja Pṛthu and Mahārāja Gaya achieved proprietorship over the seven islands, there was no end to their thirst for artha and kāma.
Personal Guidance
Pṛthu and Gaya owned seven dvīpas — yet found no satisfaction and no end to ambition. Historical evidence: even maximum possession does not produce contentment. The pattern is reliable.
Reflection Questions
- Which ambition of mine has clear historical evidence that it would not satisfy upon achievement?
- Where do I refuse to learn from kings of the past because I think my case is special?
My note
Source: vedabase.io