Shloka 12
The Forest of Material Existence: Jaḍa Bharata Instructs King Rahūgaṇa
क्वचित्क्वचित्क्षीणधनस्तु तस्मिन् शय्यासनस्थानविहारहीन: । याचन् परादप्रतिलब्धकाम: पारक्यदृष्टिर्लभतेऽवमानम् ॥ १२ ॥
kvacit kvacit kṣīṇa-dhanas tu tasmin śayyāsana-sthāna-vihāra-hīnaḥ yācan parād apratilabdha-kāmaḥ pārakya-dṛṣṭir labhate ’vamānam
Auf dem Pfad des materiellen Daseins ist jemand bisweilen ohne Vermögen; dann fehlen ihm ein angemessenes Zuhause, Bett, Sitzplatz und familiäre Freude. Deshalb geht er zu anderen betteln, doch wenn seine Wünsche dadurch nicht erfüllt werden, neigt er dazu, fremdes Eigentum zu leihen oder zu stehlen. So erntet er in der Gesellschaft Verachtung.
The principles of beg, borrow or steal are very appropriate in this material world. When one is in want, he begs, borrows or steals. If begging is unsuccessful, he borrows. If he cannot pay, he steals, and when he is caught, he is insulted. This is the law of material existence. No one can live here very honestly; therefore by trickery, cheating, begging, borrowing or stealing, one tries to satisfy his senses. Thus no one in this material world is living peacefully.
FAQs
This verse explains that when wealth and comforts vanish, a person who begs to satisfy desires is often viewed with suspicion and receives disrespect—showing the degrading nature of dependence rooted in material craving.
He is illustrating the bondage of the conditioned soul: desire-driven life leads to loss of dignity and peace, prompting the listener toward renunciation and shelter in devotion rather than worldly support.
Reduce desire-based living, avoid compromising integrity for comfort, and cultivate steady spiritual practice and service—so self-worth and stability do not depend on fluctuating wealth or others’ approval.