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Shloka 32

Paramahaṁsa-Dharma: The Avadhūta-like Sannyāsī and Prahlāda’s Dialogue with the ‘Python’ Saint

पश्यामि धनिनां क्लेशं लुब्धानामजितात्मनाम् । भयादलब्धनिद्राणां सर्वतोऽभिविशङ्किनाम् ॥ ३२ ॥

paśyāmi dhanināṁ kleśaṁ lubdhānām ajitātmanām bhayād alabdha-nidrāṇāṁ sarvato ’bhiviśaṅkinām

હું ધનવાનોનો ક્લેશ જોઈ રહ્યો છું—ઇન્દ્રિયોના વશમાં, લોભી અને આત્મસંયમહીન; ભયથી નિદ્રા ન મળે અને સર્વ તરફથી શંકામાં રહે છે.

paśyāmiI see
paśyāmi:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√paś (धातु)
FormLaṭ-lakāra (Present/वर्तमान), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Uttama-puruṣa (1st person/उत्तमपुरुष), Eka-vacana (Singular/एकवचन)
dhanināmof the wealthy
dhaninām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootdhanin (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti (Genitive/षष्ठी), Bahu-vacana (Plural/बहुवचन)
kleśamdistress
kleśam:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootkleśa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (Accusative/द्वितीया), Eka-vacana (Singular/एकवचन)
lubdhānāmof the greedy
lubdhānām:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of dhaninām
TypeAdjective
Rootlubdha (कृदन्त; √lubh धातु)
FormKta-pratyaya past participle (क्त), Puṁliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti (Genitive/षष्ठी), Bahu-vacana (Plural/बहुवचन)
ajita-ātmanāmof those whose mind/self is unconquered
ajita-ātmanām:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of dhaninām
TypeAdjective
Rootajita (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘ajitaḥ ātmā yeṣām’; Puṁliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti (Genitive/षष्ठी), Bahu-vacana (Plural/बहुवचन)
bhayātfrom fear
bhayāt:
Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान; cause/source)
TypeNoun
Rootbhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapुṁsaka-liṅga (Neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Pañcamī-vibhakti (Ablative/पञ्चमी), Eka-vacana (Singular/एकवचन)
alabdha-nidrāṇāmof those who do not get sleep
alabdha-nidrāṇām:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of dhaninām
TypeAdjective
Roota-labdha (कृदन्त; √labh धातु) + nidrā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘alabdhā nidrā yeṣām’; Puṁliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti (Genitive/षष्ठी), Bahu-vacana (Plural/बहुवचन)
sarvataḥfrom all sides; everywhere
sarvataḥ:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsarvatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)
abhiviśaṅkināmof those who are constantly suspicious
abhiviśaṅkinām:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of dhaninām
TypeAdjective
Rootabhiviśaṅkin (कृदन्त; √śaṅk धातु)
FormŚatṛ-pratyaya present participle (शतृ), Puṁliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti (Genitive/षष्ठी), Bahu-vacana (Plural/बहुवचन)

Greedy capitalists accumulate wealth under so many miserable conditions, the result being that because they collect money by questionable means, their minds are always agitated. Thus they are unable to sleep at night, and they have to take pills for mental tranquillity to invite sleep. And sometimes even the pills are a failure. Consequently the result of having accumulated money by so much labor is certainly not happiness, but only distress. What is the value of acquiring a comfortable position if one’s mind is always disturbed? Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has therefore sung:

P
Prahlāda Mahārāja

FAQs

This verse says that greed and an unconquered mind make even wealthy people suffer—causing fear, sleeplessness, and constant suspicion.

In Canto 7 Chapter 13, Prahlāda instructs about true well-being and renunciation, showing that material prosperity without self-control and devotion leads to distress.

Reduce greed-driven goals, practice self-control, and cultivate contentment and devotion; otherwise, possessions can increase worry, insecurity, and mental unrest.