SB 10.70.26 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

लोको विकर्मनिरत: कुशले प्रमत्त: कर्मण्ययं त्वदुदिते भवदर्चने स्वे । यस्तावदस्य बलवानिह जीविताशां सद्यश्छिनत्त्यनिमिषाय नमोऽस्तु तस्मै ॥ २६ ॥

Verse text

loko vikarma-nirataḥ kuśale pramattaḥ karmaṇy ayaṁ tvad-udite bhavad-arcane sve yas tāvad asya balavān iha jīvitāśāṁ sadyaś chinatty animiṣāya namo ’stu tasmai

Synonyms

lokaḥ — the whole world ; vikarma — to sinful activities ; nirataḥ — always attached ; kuśale — which are for their benefit ; pramattaḥ — bewildered ; karmaṇi — about duties ; ayam — this (world) ; tvat — by You ; udite — spoken ; bhavat — of You ; arcane — the worship ; sve — their own (beneficial engagement) ; yaḥ — who ; tāvat — inasmuch ; asya — of this (world) ; bala — vān — powerful ; iha — in this life ; jīvita — for longevity ; āśām — hope ; sadyaḥ — suddenly ; chinatti — cuts off ; animiṣāya — to “unblinking” time ; namaḥ — obeisances ; astu — may there be ; tasmai — to Him .

Translation

People in this world are always engaged in sinful activities and are thus bewildered about their real duty, which is to worship You according to Your commandments. This activity would truly bring them good fortune. Let us offer our obeisances unto the all-powerful Lord, who appears as time and suddenly cuts down one’s stubborn hope for a long life in this world.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

People in this world are always engaged in sinful activities and are thus bewildered about their real duty, which is to worship You according to Your commandments. This activity would truly bring them good fortune. Let us offer our obeisances unto the all-powerful Lord, who appears as time and suddenly cuts down one's stubborn hope for a long life in this world. KB 10.70.26 “ ‘Dear Lord, we think that there are many living entities like us who are eternally entangled in fruitive activities and their reactions. They are never inclined to follow Your instructions by performing devotional service, although it is pleasing to the heart and most auspicious for one’s existence. On the contrary, they are against the path of Kṛṣṇa conscious life, and they are wandering within the three worlds, impelled by the illusory energy of material existence. “ ‘Dear Lord, who can estimate Your mercy and Your powerful activities? You are present always as the insurmountable force of eternal time, baffling the indefatigable desires of the materialists, who are thus repeatedly confused and frustrated. We therefore offer our respectful obeisances unto You in Your form of eternal time.

Purport

Lord Kṛṣṇa states in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.27) : yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam “Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform — do that, O son of Kuntī, as an offering to Me.” This is the Supreme Lord’s commandment, but people in general are bewildered and neglect this auspicious activity, preferring instead to perform sinful activities that lead them to terrible suffering. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is working to enlighten the world about this most essential activity of loving service to the Lord.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

In this verse they offer respects while describing their fear of material existence. Persons like us (loka) are inattentive to activities for our benefit (kusale karmani). To pious actions? No, we are inattentive to activities mentioned by you (tvad udite). Is it activity of sama , dama , yam and niyama in jnana yoga? No, we are inattentive to worship of you (bhavad arcane), which the real treasure (sve) of everyone. We are rather engaged in unlawful acts, which produce material happiness from wives and sons. Moreover such unfortunate souls never achieve any happiness, for you, being powerful, suddenly destroy our hopes for long life. We offer respects to you in the form of your energy of time. Those who are not your devotees should do this.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

“Why have you not worshipped me all this time? Why have you changed your minds now?” People like us are absorbed in sinful activities. That which is beneficial for us (kuśale) is that which gives all beneficial things and destroys all detrimental things. We have not been attentive to our dharma according to varṇa (sve karmaṇi) and have not been attentive to worshipping you, which is superior to other dharmas spoke by you and definitely superior to dharmas spoken by others. The Lord personally says: sarva-guhyatamaṁ bhūyaḥ śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ iṣṭo ’si me dṛḍham iti tato vakṣyāmi te hitam || Again hear from me the highest words, the supreme secret. Since you are very dear to me, I will speak for your benefit. man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te pratijāne priyo ’si me ||65|| As a devotee, offer your mind to me. Offer articles to me in worship. Offer respects to me. I promise that you will come to me without doubt, for you are most dear to me. BG 64-65 It is not possible for us to give up this strong desire which blinds us to what is auspicious for us, and which engages us in opposite actions, making us reject surrender to you. You who are strong can cut this desire. We offer respects to he who is unblinking. He is unlike us who are inattentive (pramattaḥ), distracted by our strong desires. Because of fear, we are now eager to worship you. martyo mṛtyu-vyāla-bhītaḥ palāyan lokān sarvān nirbhayaṁ nādhyagacchat tvat pādābjaṁ prāpya yadṛcchayādya susthaḥ śete mṛtyur asmād apaiti No one in this material world, fearful of the snake of time, has become free from fear, even by fleeing to various planets. But now that you have appeared, death is fleeing in fear of you, and the living entities, having obtained shelter at your lotus feet by your mercy, are fearless and tranquil. SB 10.3.27

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

People are bewildered about activities which are beneficial (kuśale) for themselves (sve). They should necessarily to these actions for their own benefit. Not doing the actions is disobedience to the Lord and becomes a great offense, since these actions arise from you (tvad-udite). The action is easily performed, gives great results and gives the highest happiness. The action is related to deity forms of you and your devotees (bhavad-arcane). They are bewildered concerning this. The Lord cuts the strong desire to live, which instigates sinful acts, destroying thoughts of death, and bewilders people about what is actually beneficial for them. Or the Lord cuts the desire to live, by grave diseases, what to speak of destroying life itself. One cannot avoid the Lord. He is all powerful (balavān). And he is vigilant: he is never inattentive (animiṣāya). pramattam uccair iti kṛtya-cintayā pravṛddha-lobhaṁ viṣayeṣu lālasam tvam apramattaḥ sahasābhipadyase kṣul-lelihāno 'hir ivākhum antakaḥ With great attention, in the form of time, you suddenly seize the greedy person desiring material objects, who is intensely mad with thoughts of all the things he should do, just as a snake, licking its lips, seizes a mouse. SB 4.24.66 Or they offer respects to time (animiṣāya). Being afraid of time, since it is the main cause of material existence, they take shelter of the Lord.