Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 3
Avadhūta’s Teachers: Python, Ocean, Moth, Bee, Elephant, Deer, Fish—and Piṅgalā’s Song of Detachment
शयीताहानि भूरीणि निराहारोऽनुपक्रम: । यदि नोपनयेद् ग्रासो महाहिरिव दिष्टभुक् ॥ ३ ॥
śayītāhāni bhūrīṇi nirāhāro ’nupakramaḥ yadi nopanayed grāso mahāhir iva diṣṭa-bhuk
Wenn zu irgendeiner Zeit keine Nahrung kommt, soll ein Heiliger viele Tage fasten, ohne sich zu bemühen. Er soll verstehen, dass er nach Gottes Fügung fasten muss; so bleibt er, dem Python gleich, friedvoll und geduldig.
If by God’s arrangement one is forced to suffer material hardship, then one should think, “Due to my past sinful activity I am now being punished. In this way, God is mercifully making me humble.” The word śayīta means one should remain peaceful and patient without mental agitation. Diṣṭa-bhuk means one must accept the Personality of Godhead as the supreme controller and not foolishly give up one’s faith due to material inconvenience. Tat te ’nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam ( Bhāg. 10.14.8 ). A devotee of the Lord always accepts material hardship as the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa; thus he becomes eligible for supreme liberation.
FAQs
This verse teaches contentment and non-anxiety: if food does not come naturally, one should not agitate the mind with desperate endeavor, but accept what providence provides—like a serpent that survives without frantic seeking.
King Yadu inquires about the qualities of a true renunciant; the Avadhūta’s example-based instruction (here, the serpent) illustrates how a sage remains steady, free from dependence and fear, even amid scarcity.
Practice reducing needless anxiety and greed: do your honest duties, but avoid frantic over-striving and obsession; cultivate contentment, simplicity, and trust in the Lord’s arrangement when outcomes are not in your control.