Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 15
Nābhāga’s Inheritance, Śiva’s Verdict, and the Rise of Ambarīṣa—Prelude to Durvāsā’s Offense
श्रीशुक उवाच अम्बरीषो महाभाग: सप्तद्वीपवतीं महीम् । अव्ययां च श्रियं लब्ध्वा विभवं चातुलं भुवि ॥ १५ ॥ मेनेऽतिदुर्लभं पुंसां सर्वं तत् स्वप्नसंस्तुतम् । विद्वान् विभवनिर्वाणं तमो विशति यत् पुमान् ॥ १६ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca ambarīṣo mahā-bhāgaḥ sapta-dvīpavatīṁ mahīm avyayāṁ ca śriyaṁ labdhvā vibhavaṁ cātulaṁ bhuvi
Śukadeva dit : Le très fortuné Mahārāja Ambarīṣa obtint la souveraineté de la terre aux sept îles et une opulence inépuisable et sans limite. Mais, sachant que tout cela est matériel, semblable à un rêve qui finit par se dissiper, il n’y attacha aucun prix ; il comprenait que le non-dévot, en atteignant une telle richesse, s’enfonce davantage dans l’obscurité de la nature.
For a devotee material opulence is insignificant, whereas for a nondevotee material opulence is the cause of increasing bondage, for a devotee knows that anything material is temporary, whereas a nondevotee regards the temporary so-called happiness as everything and forgets the path of self-realization. Thus for the nondevotee material opulence is a disqualification for spiritual advancement.
FAQs
This verse states that Mahārāja Ambarīṣa attained vast dominion and inexhaustible prosperity, illustrating that great material resources can come to a devotee—yet in the narrative they are not the devotee’s ultimate aim.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī is speaking, narrating the life and glories of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa to King Parīkṣit.
See success as a responsibility and a tool for dharma and devotion—use resources in service, remain humble, and remember that prosperity is not the final goal.