Shloka 2
The Forest of Material Existence (Saṁsāra-vana) and the Delivering Path of Bharata’s Teachings
यस्यामु ह वा एते षडिन्द्रियनामान: कर्मणा दस्यव एव ते । तद्यथा पुरुषस्य धनं यत्किञ्चिद्धर्मौपयिकं बहुकृच्छ्राधिगतं साक्षात्परमपुरुषाराधनलक्षणो योऽसौ धर्मस्तं तु साम्पराय उदाहरन्ति । तद्धर्म्यं धनं दर्शनस्पर्शनश्रवणास्वादनावघ्राणसङ्कल्पव्यवसायगृहग्राम्योपभोगेन कुनाथस्याजितात्मनो यथा सार्थस्य विलुम्पन्ति ॥ २ ॥
yasyām u ha vā ete ṣaḍ-indriya-nāmānaḥ karmaṇā dasyava eva te; tad yathā puruṣasya dhanaṁ yat kiñcid dharmaupayikaṁ bahu-kṛcchrādhigataṁ sākṣāt parama-puruṣārādhana-lakṣaṇo yo ’sau dharmas taṁ tu sāmparāya udāharanti; tad-dharmyaṁ dhanaṁ darśana-sparśana-śravaṇāsvādanāvaghrāṇa-saṅkalpa-vyavasāya-gṛha-grāmyopabhogena kunāthasyājitātmano yathā sārthasya vilum-panti.
ഈ സംസാരവനത്തിൽ ഈ ആറിന്ദ്രിയങ്ങൾ കർമം മൂലം കള്ളന്മാരായി മാറുന്നു. മനുഷ്യൻ വലിയ കഷ്ടപ്പാടോടെ ധർമ്മത്തിനായി സമ്പാദിക്കുന്ന ധനം—അതിലൂടെ പരമപുരുഷനെ ആരാധിക്കുന്ന ധർമ്മം ആചരിക്കാം—അത് തന്നെയാണ് ആത്മനിയന്ത്രണമില്ലാത്ത, ദുർബലനായ ‘സ്വാമി’ ഉള്ള മനുഷ്യനിൽ നിന്ന് ഈ കള്ള ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങൾ ദർശനം, സ്പർശം, ശ്രവണം, ആസ്വാദനം, ഘ്രാണം, ആഗ്രഹ-സങ്കൽപ്പം, ശ്രമം, ഗൃഹ-ഗ്രാമ്യ ഭോഗം എന്നീ പേരുകളിൽ, ഒരു വ്യാപാരസംഘത്തെ കൊള്ളയടിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ കൊള്ളയടിക്കുന്നത്.
Pūrva janmārjitā vidyā pūrva janmārjitaṁ dhanaṁ agre dhāvati dhāvati. By following the principles of the varṇāśrama-dharma, one attains a better position in the material world. One may be rich, learned, beautiful or highborn. One who has all these assets should know that they are all meant for the advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unfortunately, when a person is misguided he misuses his high position for sense gratification. Therefore the uncontrolled senses are considered plunderers. The good position one attains by executing religious principles is wasted as the plundering senses take it away. By executing religious principles under the laws of varṇaśrama-dharma, one is placed in a comfortable position. One may very easily use his assets for the further advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One should understand that the wealth and opportunity one gets in the material world should not be squandered in sense gratification. They are meant for the advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is therefore teaching people to control the mind and five knowledge-acquiring senses by a definite process. One should practice a little austerity and not spend money on anything other than the regulative life of devotional service. The senses demand that one see beautiful things; therefore money should be spent for decorating the Deity in the temple. Similarly, the tongue has to taste good food, which should be bought and offered to the Deity. The nose can be utilized in smelling the flowers offered to the Deity, and the hearing can be utilized by listening to the vibration of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. In this way the senses can be regulated and utilized to advance Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thus a good position might not be spoiled by material sense gratification in the form of illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. One spoils an opulent position in the material world by driving cars, spending time in nightclubs or tasting abominable food in restaurants. In these ways, the plundering senses take away all the assets that the conditioned soul has acquired with great difficulty.
FAQs
This verse says the six senses act like robbers: when one is uncontrolled, indulgence in sense enjoyment steals away one’s true wealth—dharma expressed as worship of the Supreme Person.
He explains that just as merchants can be stripped of hard-earned wealth by thieves, a person in worldly pursuits can lose the precious opportunity and ‘capital’ for bhakti and dharma through unchecked sense gratification.
Treat time, attention, and purity as spiritual wealth: reduce compulsive sense consumption, and redirect the senses toward devotion—hearing, chanting, seeing, and serving the Supreme Person.