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Shloka 12

The Forest of Material Existence (Saṁsāra-vana) and the Delivering Path of Bharata’s Teachings

Devanagari script

स यदा दुग्धपूर्वसुकृतस्तदा कारस्करकाकतुण्डाद्यपुण्यद्रुमलताविषोदपानवदुभयार्थशून्यद्रविणान्जीवन्मृतान् स्वयं जीवन्म्रियमाण उपधावति ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

sa yadā dugdha-pūrva-sukṛtas tadā kāraskara-kākatuṇḍādy-apuṇya-druma-latā-viṣoda-pānavad ubhayārtha-śūnya-draviṇān jīvan-mṛtān svayaṁ jīvan-mriyamāṇa upadhāvati.

Translation

ด้วยบุญกุศลในกาลก่อน ดวงวิญญาณผู้ถูกผูกมัดย่อมได้สิ่งอำนวยความสะดวกทางวัตถุในชาตินี้ แต่เมื่อสิ่งเหล่านั้นสิ้นไป เขากลับพึ่งพาทรัพย์ที่ไร้ประโยชน์ทั้งในโลกนี้และโลกหน้า จึงเข้าไปหาเหล่า “คนเป็นที่ตายแล้ว” ผู้ครอบครองทรัพย์นั้น คนเช่นนั้นเปรียบดังต้นไม้เถาวัลย์อันไม่บริสุทธิ์และบ่อน้ำพิษ และเขาเองก็เหมือนตายทั้งที่ยังมีชีวิต

Synonyms
सःhe
सः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (he)
यदाwhen
यदा:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयदा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; कालवाचक (when)
दुग्धmilk
दुग्ध:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootदुग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) milk
पूर्वprevious
पूर्व:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formविशेषण; (समासाङ्ग) former/previous
सुकृतःone with prior good merit
सुकृतः:
Karta (कर्ता/वर्ण्यः)
TypeNoun
Rootसुकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (दुग्ध-पूर्व-सुकृतः = one whose prior merit is like milk; i.e., previously having good merit)
तदाthen
तदा:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; कालवाचक (then)
कारस्करkāraskara (name)
कारस्कर:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootकारस्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) a kind of crow/animal name (lexical)
काकतुण्डkākatuṇḍa (name)
काकतुण्ड:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootकाकतुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) कर्मधारयः (काकस्य तुण्ड इव/काक-तुण्डः = crow-beaked; here as plant/thing name)
आदिand the like
आदि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootआदि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय (etc.)
अपुण्यsinful
अपुण्य:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअपुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formविशेषण; (समासाङ्ग) impure/sinful
द्रुमtree
द्रुम:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootद्रुम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) tree
लताcreeper
लता:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootलता (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) creeper
विषोदpoisonous water
विषोद:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootविषोद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) poison-water/poisonous liquid
पानवत्like drinking
पानवत्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपानवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with implied कर्म); उपमान-तत्पुरुष/तुल्ययोग (like drinking)
उभयboth
उभय:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootउभय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formविशेषण; (समासाङ्ग) both
अर्थbenefit
अर्थ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootअर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) purpose/benefit
शून्यdevoid
शून्य:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootशून्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formविशेषण; (समासाङ्ग) devoid
द्रविणान्wealth devoid of both aims
द्रविणान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootद्रविण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (उभय-अर्थ-शून्य-द्रविणान् = wealth devoid of both aims)
जीवत्living
जीवत्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootजीव् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
Formवर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle, शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन (qualifying मृतान्)
मृतान्the living-dead
मृतान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमृत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (जीवत्-मृतान् = living-dead, i.e., dead while living)
स्वयम्himself
स्वयम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootस्वयम् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; आत्मकर्तृवाचक (oneself)
जीवत्living
जीवत्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootजीव् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
Formवर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle, शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (qualifying subject)
म्रियमाणःdying (while living)
म्रियमाणः:
Karta (कर्ता/वर्ण्यः)
TypeAdjective
Rootमृ (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
Formवर्तमानकृदन्त (present middle participle, शानच्); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (जीवत्-म्रियमाणः = living yet dying)
उपधावतिruns after/pursues
उपधावति:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootउप-धाव् (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (runs up to/pursues)
Purport

The wealth and riches acquired through previous pious activities should not be misused for sense gratification. Enjoying them for sense gratification is like enjoying the fruits of a poisonous tree. Such activities will not help the conditioned soul in any way, neither in this life nor the next. However, if one engages his possessions in the service of the Lord under the guidance of a proper spiritual master, he will attain happiness both in this life and the next. Unless he does so, he eats a forbidden apple and thereby loses his paradise. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa therefore advises that one’s possessions should be given unto Him.

Characters & Entities
Ś
Śukadeva Gosvāmī
M
Mahārāja Parīkṣit

FAQs

This verse says that when one’s prior pious credit is used up, one chases wealth that brings neither true material welfare nor spiritual benefit—like drinking poison—making a person ‘alive yet dead’ due to anxiety and bondage.

In the allegory of the material world as a dangerous forest, Śukadeva explains that wealth sought through impious means and for sense enjoyment harms the soul—entangling one in suffering, fear, and forgetfulness of devotion.

Assess whether your pursuits give lasting value: avoid unethical earning and compulsive consumption, simplify needs, and redirect energy toward sādhana—hearing, chanting, and serving—so prosperity supports bhakti rather than becoming ‘poison.’

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