Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 23
Pṛthu Mahārāja Meets the Four Kumāras: Bhakti as the Boat Across Saṁsāra
अर्थेन्द्रियारामसगोष्ठ्यतृष्णया तत्सम्मतानामपरिग्रहेण च । विविक्तरुच्या परितोष आत्मनि विना हरेर्गुणपीयूषपानात् ॥ २३ ॥
arthendriyārāma-sagoṣṭhy-atṛṣṇayā tat-sammatānām aparigraheṇa ca vivikta-rucyā paritoṣa ātmani vinā harer guṇa-pīyūṣa-pānāt
Se progresa espiritualmente al no asociarse con quienes sólo buscan dinero y gratificación de los sentidos, y evitando también a quienes se juntan con ellos. Hay que moldear la vida de modo que no haya paz sin beber el néctar de la glorificación de Hari. Así se eleva uno al sentir disgusto por el sabor del goce sensorial.
In the material world everyone is interested in money and sense gratification. The only objective is to earn as much money as possible and utilize it for satisfaction of the senses. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī thus described the activities of the materialistic persons:
FAQs
This verse says that lasting contentment does not come from wealth, sense-enjoyment, social validation, or even mere renunciation; it comes from tasting the “nectar” of Hari’s qualities—hearing, remembering, and relishing the Lord’s glories.
They instructed Pṛthu Mahārāja that even refined austerity or detachment is incomplete unless it is centered on bhakti—specifically, on relishing Hari-kathā, the nectar of the Lord’s qualities.
Reduce the chase for status and overconsumption, keep simple and ethical habits, and add daily “nectar-drinking” practices—hearing/reading Bhagavatam, chanting the holy names, and reflecting on the Lord’s qualities—to cultivate steady inner satisfaction.