Shloka 21
Vāmanadeva Praises Bali; the Measure of Three Steps; Śukrācārya Warns Against the Gift
श्रीभगवानुवाच यावन्तो विषया: प्रेष्ठास्त्रिलोक्यामजितेन्द्रियम् । न शक्नुवन्ति ते सर्वे प्रतिपूरयितुं नृप ॥ २१ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca yāvanto viṣayāḥ preṣṭhās tri-lokyām ajitendriyam na śaknuvanti te sarve pratipūrayituṁ nṛpa
The Supreme Lord said: O dear King, even all the most cherished objects of sense enjoyment within the three worlds cannot satisfy a person whose senses are uncontrolled.
The material world is an illusory energy to deviate the living entities from the path of self-realization. Anyone who is in this material world is extremely anxious to get more and more things for sense gratification. Actually, however, the purpose of life is not sense gratification but self-realization. Therefore, those who are too addicted to sense gratification are advised to practice the mystic yoga system, or aṣṭāṅga-yoga system, consisting of yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra and so on. In this way, one can control the senses. The purpose of controlling the senses is to stop one’s implication in the cycle of birth and death. As stated by Ṛṣabhadeva:
FAQs
This verse says that even the dearest sense objects across the three worlds cannot fully satisfy a person with uncontrolled senses (ajitendriya).
In instructing Bali, the Lord highlights that worldly acquisitions cannot bring completeness when the senses remain unconquered, guiding him toward higher, devotional understanding beyond mere enjoyment and possession.
Reduce dependence on constant consumption and practice sense-restraint with devotion—channel desires toward service, prayer, and disciplined living, since unchecked craving cannot be “filled” by more objects.