Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 14
Gṛhastha-Dharma: How a Householder Attains Liberation by Offering All to Vāsudeva
सिद्धैर्यज्ञावशिष्टार्थै: कल्पयेद् वृत्तिमात्मन: । शेषे स्वत्वं त्यजन्प्राज्ञ: पदवीं महतामियात् ॥ १४ ॥
siddhair yajñāvaśiṣṭārthaiḥ kalpayed vṛttim ātmanaḥ śeṣe svatvaṁ tyajan prājñaḥ padavīṁ mahatām iyāt
ஞானி, ஆண்டவருக்குச் சமர்ப்பித்து மீந்த பிரசாதத்தை உண்டு அல்லது பஞ்ச-சூனா யஜ்ஞங்களின் அவசிஷ்டத்தால் தன் வாழ்வை அமைத்து திருப்தியடைய வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு உடல்மீது உரிமை-பற்றைத் துறந்தால், அவன் மகாத்மாக்களின் நிலைபெற்ற பாதையை அடைகிறான்.
Nature already has an arrangement to feed us. By the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is an arrangement for eatables for every living entity within the 8,400,000 forms of life. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. Every living entity has to eat something, and in fact the necessities for his life have already been provided by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord has provided food for both the elephant and the ant. All living beings are living at the cost of the Supreme Lord, and therefore one who is intelligent should not work very hard for material comforts. Rather, one should save his energy for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All created things in the sky, in the air, on land and in the sea belong to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and every living being is provided with food. Therefore one should not be very much anxious about economic development and unnecessarily waste time and energy with the risk of falling down in the cycle of birth and death.
FAQs
This verse teaches that one should sustain life through what comes as the sanctified remainder of sacrifice—honest, purified maintenance that supports spiritual progress rather than greed.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks this instruction to King Parīkṣit while describing ideal conduct for human society, emphasizing simplicity and freedom from possessiveness.
Earn and consume responsibly, treat resources as entrusted by God, offer what you use in devotion, and share surplus through charity and service—reducing the ego of “mine” while keeping duties intact.