FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.6.16

విద్వానపీత్థం దనుజా: కుటుమ్బం పుష్ణన్స్వలోకాయ న కల్పతే వై । య: స్వీయపారక్యవిభిన్నభావ- స్తమ: ప్రపద్యేత యథా విమూఢ: ॥ ౧౬ ॥
vidvān apītthaṁ danujāḥ kuṭumbaṁ
[vidvaan apeettham danujaah kutumbam]
puṣṇan sva-lokāya na kalpate vai
[pushnan sva-lokaaya na kalpate vai]
yaḥ svīya-pārakya-vibhinna-bhāvas
[yah sveeya-paarakya-vibhinna-bhaavas]
tamaḥ prapadyeta yathā vimūḍhaḥ
[tamah prapadyeta yathaa vimoodhah]
vidvān — knowing (the inconvenience of material existence, especially in household life) api — although ittham — thus danu-jāḥ — O sons of demons kuṭumbam — the family members or extended family members (like one’s community, society, nation or union of nations) puṣṇan — providing with all the necessities of life sva-lokāya — in understanding himself na — not kalpate — capable vai — indeed yaḥ — he who svīya — my own pārakya — belonging to others vibhinna — separate bhāvaḥ — having a conception of life tamaḥ — nothing but darkness prapadyeta — enters yathā — just as vimūḍhaḥ — a person without education, or one who is like an animal.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
vidvān apītthaṁ danujāḥ kuṭumbaṁ
vidvān
knowing (the inconvenience of material existence, especially in household life)
api
although
ittham
thus
danu-jāḥ
O sons of demons
kuṭumbam
the family members or extended family members (like one’s community, society, nation or union of nations)
puṣṇan sva-lokāya na kalpate vai
puṣṇan
providing with all the necessities of life
sva-lokāya
in understanding himself
na
not
kalpate
capable
vai
indeed
yaḥ svīya-pārakya-vibhinna-bhāvas
yaḥ
he who
svīya
my own
pārakya
belonging to others
vibhinna
separate
bhāvaḥ
having a conception of life
tamaḥ prapadyeta yathā vimūḍhaḥ
tamaḥ
nothing but darkness
prapadyeta
enters
yathā
just as
vimūḍhaḥ
a person without education, or one who is like an animal.
O my friends, sons of demons! In this material world, even those who are apparently advanced in education have the propensity to consider, “This is mine, and that is for others.” Thus they are always engaged in providing the necessities of life to their families in a limited conception of family life, just like uneducated cats and dogs. They are unable to take to spiritual knowledge; instead, they are bewildered and overcome by ignorance.

In human society there are attempts to educate the human being, but for animal society there is no such system, nor are animals able to be educated. Therefore animals and unintelligent men are called vimūḍha, or ignorant, bewildered, whereas an educated person is called vidvān. The real vidvān is one who tries to understand his own position within this material world. For example, when Sanātana Gosvāmī submitted to the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, his first question was ‘ke āmi,’ ‘kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya.’ In other words, he wanted to know his constitutional position and why he was suffering from the threefold miseries of material existence. This is the process of education. If one does not ask, “Who am I? What is the goal of my life?” but instead follows the same animal propensities as cats and dogs, what is the use of his education? As discussed in the previous verse, a living being is entrapped by his fruitive activities, exactly like a silkworm trapped in its own cocoon. Foolish persons are generally encaged by their fruitive actions ( karma ) because of a strong desire to enjoy this material world. Such attracted persons become involved in society, community and nation and waste their time, not having profited from having obtained human forms. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, great leaders, politicians, philosophers and scientists are all engaged in foolish activities, thinking, “This is mine, and this is yours.” The scientists invent nuclear weapons and collaborate with the big leaders to protect the interests of their own nation or society. In this verse, however, it is clearly stated that despite their so-called advanced knowledge, they actually have the same mentality as cats and dogs. As cats, dogs and other animals, not knowing their true interest in life, become increasingly involved in ignorance, the so-called educated person who does not know his own self-interest or the true goal of life becomes increasingly involved in materialism. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja advises everyone to follow the principles of varṇāśrama-dharma. Specifically, at a certain point one must give up family life and take to the renounced order of life to cultivate spiritual knowledge and thus become liberated. This is further discussed in the following verses.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O demons! Though he knows scripture, by maintaining his family he becomes incapable of understanding his own benefit. Absorbed in the concept self and other, he enters hell like a fool. Though he knows scripture (vidvān api), he is incapable of contemplating concerning himself (svalokāya). Like a fool, he cannot consider, “Who am I? What should I do?”
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