Shloka 13
The Deliverance of Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva
Yamala-Arjuna Līlā Prelude and Culmination
असत: श्रीमदान्धस्य दारिद्रयं परमञ्जनम् । आत्मौपम्येन भूतानि दरिद्र: परमीक्षते ॥ १३ ॥
asataḥ śrī-madāndhasya dāridryaṁ param añjanam ātmaupamyena bhūtāni daridraḥ param īkṣate
Atheistic fools, blinded by the pride of wealth, cannot see things as they truly are; therefore returning them to poverty is the supreme ointment for their eyes. A poor man, having tasted his own hardship, looks upon all beings by measuring them against himself, and he does not wish others to suffer a painful condition like his own.
Even today, if a man who was formerly poverty-stricken gets money, he is inclined to utilize his money to perform many philanthropic activities, like opening schools for uneducated men and hospitals for the diseased. In this connection there is an instructive story called punar mūṣiko bhava, “Again Become a Mouse.” A mouse was very much harassed by a cat, and therefore the mouse approached a saintly person to request to become a cat. When the mouse became a cat, he was harassed by a dog, and then when he became a dog, he was harassed by a tiger. But when he became a tiger, he stared at the saintly person, and when the saintly person asked him, “What do you want?” the tiger said, “I want to eat you.” Then the saintly person cursed him, saying, “May you again become a mouse.” A similar thing is going on all over the universe. One is going up and down, sometimes becoming a mouse, sometimes a tiger, and so on. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said:
FAQs
This verse says that pride born of opulence blinds a person, and that poverty can act like a cleansing eye-salve, restoring clear vision and humility.
In this episode, Narada’s intervention is meant to cure their intoxication with wealth and beauty, so they may regain spiritual clarity and ultimately receive Krishna’s mercy.
Practice humility and empathy by consciously seeing others “as yourself,” and treat comfort or hardship as an opportunity to reduce ego and grow in compassion.