Shloka 31
Paramahaṁsa-Dharma: The Avadhūta-like Sannyāsī and Prahlāda’s Dialogue with the ‘Python’ Saint
आध्यात्मिकादिभिर्दु:खैरविमुक्तस्य कर्हिचित् । मर्त्यस्य कृच्छ्रोपनतैरर्थै: कामै: क्रियेत किम् ॥ ३१ ॥
ādhyātmikādibhir duḥkhair avimuktasya karhicit martyasya kṛcchropanatair arthaiḥ kāmaiḥ kriyeta kim
আধ্যাত্মিক, আধিদৈৱিক আৰু আধিভৌতিক—এই তিনিধৰণৰ দুখৰ পৰা মুক্ত নহোৱা মর্ত্যৰ বাবে কষ্টে পোৱা ধন-ভোগ বা কামনাৰ কি লাভ? জন্ম-মৃত্যু, জৰা-ব্যাধি আৰু কৰ্মফলৰ বন্ধন তেনেই থাকে।
According to the materialistic way of life, if a poor man, after laboring very, very hard, gets some material profit at the end of his life, he is considered a success, even though he again dies while suffering the threefold miseries — adhyātmika, adhidaivika and adhibhautika. No one can escape the threefold miseries of materialistic life, namely miseries pertaining to the body and mind, miseries pertaining to the difficulties imposed by society, community, nation and other living entities, and miseries inflicted upon us by natural disturbances from earthquakes, famines, droughts, floods, epidemics, and so on. If one works very hard, suffering the threefold miseries, and then is successful in getting some small benefit, what is the value of this benefit? Besides that, even if a karmī is successful in accumulating some material wealth, he still cannot enjoy it, for he must die in bereavement. I have even seen a dying man begging a medical attendant to increase his life by four years so that he could complete his material plans. Of course, the medical man was unsuccessful in expanding the life of the man, who therefore died in great bereavement. Everyone must die in this way, and after one’s mental condition is taken into account by the laws of material nature, he is given another chance to fulfill his desires in a different body. Material plans for material happiness have no value, but under the spell of the illusory energy we consider them extremely valuable. There were many politicians, social reformers and philosophers who died very miserably, without deriving any practical value from their material plans. Therefore, a sane and sensible man never desires to work hard under the conditions of threefold miseries, only to die in disappointment.
FAQs
This verse teaches that since material life is inevitably bound with the threefold miseries, striving for wealth and sense enjoyment—gained only through hardship—has little real value compared to seeking liberation through devotion.
In Canto 7, Chapter 13, Nārada instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on the conduct of a saintly person and the futility of material striving, guiding him toward renunciation and devotion as the higher aim of life.
Recognize that stress and suffering accompany endless acquisition; simplify desires, do duty without obsession for results, and prioritize sādhana—hearing, chanting, and remembrance of the Lord.