Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 52
Kṛṣṇa Leads Kālayavana to Mucukunda; The Yavana Is Burned; Mucukunda’s Prayers and Boon of Bhakti
करोति कर्माणि तप:सुनिष्ठितो निवृत्तभोगस्तदपेक्षयाददत् । पुनश्च भूयासमहं स्वराडिति प्रवृद्धतर्षो न सुखाय कल्पते ॥ ५२ ॥
karoti karmāṇi tapaḥ-suniṣṭhito nivṛtta-bhogas tad-apekṣayādadat punaś ca bhūyāsam ahaṁ sva-rāḍ iti pravṛddha-tarṣo na sukhāya kalpate
Vị vua ham quyền lực lớn hơn vẫn nghiêm trì bổn phận, chuyên tâm khổ hạnh, lìa bỏ hưởng thụ và bố thí. Nhưng kẻ dục vọng bùng lên, nghĩ “ta độc lập và tối thượng,” thì không thể đạt hạnh phúc.
FAQs
This verse teaches that even after austerity and renouncing sense pleasure, the thirst to become greater (power, sovereignty, status) keeps growing and therefore does not produce true happiness.
In his reflection (as narrated by Śukadeva), Mucukunda points out that material desire resurfaces as subtle ambition—wanting to be “svarāṭ” (a sovereign)—and such craving perpetuates dissatisfaction rather than peace.
Use it as a check on “upgraded” desires: even when gross indulgence is reduced, watch for ambition-driven restlessness, and redirect goals toward inner contentment and devotion rather than status or control.