Shloka 36
The Forest of Material Existence (Saṁsāra-vana) and the Delivering Path of Bharata’s Teachings
क्वचित्क्षीणधन: शय्यासनाशनाद्युपभोगविहीनो यावदप्रतिलब्धमनोरथोपगतादानेऽवसितमतिस्ततस्ततोऽवमानादीनि जनादभिलभते ॥ ३६ ॥
kvacit kṣīṇa-dhanaḥ śayyāsanāśanādy-upabhoga-vihīno yāvad apratilabdha-manorathopagatādāne ’vasita-matis tatas tato ’vamānādīni janād abhilabhate.
บางคราวเมื่อทรัพย์ร่อยหรอ เขาขาดที่นอน ที่นั่ง อาหาร และสิ่งจำเป็นอื่นๆ แม้แต่ที่ให้นั่งก็ไม่มี เมื่อความปรารถนาไม่สำเร็จ และไม่อาจหาได้ด้วยทางที่ชอบธรรม เขาจึงตัดสินใจยึดทรัพย์ของผู้อื่นโดยมิชอบ ครั้นไม่ได้สิ่งที่ต้องการ ก็ได้รับการดูหมิ่นจากผู้คนและเศร้าหมองยิ่งนัก
It is said that necessity knows no law. When the conditioned soul needs money to acquire life’s bare necessities, he adopts any means. He begs, borrows or steals. Instead of receiving these things, he is insulted and chastised. Unless one is very well organized, one cannot accumulate riches by unfair means. Even if one acquires riches by unfair means, he cannot avoid punishment and insult from the government or the general populace. There are many instances of important people’s embezzling money, getting caught and being put in prison. One may be able to avoid the punishment of prison, but one cannot avoid the punishment of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who works through the agency of material nature. This is described in Bhagavad-gītā (7.14) : daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā. Nature is very cruel. She does not excuse anyone. When people do not care for nature, they commit all kinds of sinful activities, and consequently they have to suffer.
FAQs
This verse explains that when wealth and comforts are lost, a person still clings to desires; failing to fulfill them, he turns to begging and repeatedly meets humiliation—showing how material longing breeds misery.
He is illustrating the ‘forest of material enjoyment,’ where the jīva wanders under karma—sometimes gaining comforts, and sometimes losing everything—so the listener develops detachment and seeks spiritual shelter.
Reduce dependence on status and luxury, practice contentment, and cultivate bhakti and inner discipline so that life’s reversals do not force one into degrading choices or mental despair.