Shloka 18
Purañjana Captivated by Lust; Time (Caṇḍavega) and Old Age (Kālakanyā) Begin the Siege
स एव पुर्यां मधुभुक्पञ्चालेषु स्वपार्षदै: । उपनीतं बलिं गृह्णन् स्त्रीजितो नाविदद्भयम् ॥ १८ ॥
sa eva puryāṁ madhu-bhuk pañcāleṣu sva-pārṣadaiḥ upanītaṁ baliṁ gṛhṇan strī-jito nāvidad bhayam
وہی پورنجن پانچال کے شہر میں خراج (بَلی) وصول کر کے اپنے ساتھیوں سمیت عیش و عشرت میں ڈوبا رہا۔ عورتوں کے قابو میں آ کر وہ نہ سمجھ سکا کہ عمر گھٹ رہی ہے اور موت قریب آ پہنچی ہے۔
Government men — including kings, presidents, secretaries and ministers — are in a position to utilize taxes collected from the citizens for sense gratification. It is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that in this Kali-yuga government men ( rājanyas ) and those connected with the government, as well as exalted government ministers, secretaries and presidents, will all simply collect taxes for sense gratification. The government is top-heavy, and without increasing taxes the government cannot maintain itself. When taxes are collected they are utilized for the sense gratification of the government officials. Such irresponsible politicians forget that there is a time when death will come to take away all their sense gratification. Some of them are convinced that after life everything is finished. This atheistic theory was conceived long ago by a philosopher called Cārvāka. Cārvāka recommended that man should live very opulently by either begging, borrowing or stealing. He also maintained that one should not be afraid of death, the next life, the past life or an impious life because after the body is burnt to ashes everything is finished. This is the philosophy of those who are too much materially addicted. Such philosophizing will not save one from the danger of death, nor will it save one from an abominable afterlife.
FAQs
This verse portrays Purañjana as “strī-jita”—overpowered by attachment—so absorbed in enjoyment and social power that he fails to perceive impending danger, illustrating how attachment clouds discernment.
In the narrative and its allegory, he is established as a worldly ruler enjoying his domain; “accepting tribute” reflects the mind’s continual intake of offerings from the senses—pleasures and validations—within the field of enjoyment.
It cautions that infatuation and comfort can hide real risks; cultivating self-control, honest counsel, and devotional remembrance helps one stay sober-minded rather than blindly driven by pleasure.