SB 10.72.20 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

योऽनित्येन शरीरेण सतां गेयं यशो ध्रुवम् । नाचिनोति स्वयं कल्प: स वाच्य: शोच्य एव स: ॥ २० ॥

Verse text

yo ’nityena śarīreṇa satāṁ geyaṁ yaśo dhruvam nācinoti svayaṁ kalpaḥ sa vācyaḥ śocya eva saḥ

Synonyms

yaḥ — who ; anityena — temporary ; śarīreṇa — with the material body ; satām — by saints ; geyam — to be glorified ; yaśaḥ — fame ; dhruvam — permanent ; na ācinoti — does not acquire ; svayam — himself ; kalpaḥ — capable ; saḥ — he ; vācyaḥ — contemptible ; śocyaḥ — pitiable ; eva — indeed ; saḥ — he .

Translation

He indeed is to be censured and pitied who, though able to do so, fails to achieve with his temporary body the lasting fame glorified by great saints.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

He indeed is to be censured and pitied who, though able to do so, fails to achieve with his temporary body the lasting fame glorified by great saints. KB 10.72.20 A famous man lives forever, even after his death; therefore, any person who is completely fit and able to execute acts which will perpetuate his good name and fame and yet does not do so becomes abominable in the eyes of great persons. Such a person cannot be condemned enough, and his refusal to give charity is lamentable throughout his whole life.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

If he does not gain (na acinoti) fame with this temporary body, he is despicable.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

They then criticize. He who fails to achieve lasting fame sung by the saintly, because it is auspicious in this life and the next, is to be pitied. Though he is capable, and can attain fame without other’s help, he does not. He is like a stingy merchant. Or, by himself, without inspiration from others, he does not attain fame. He is to be criticized by those who see faults and pitied by those who do not see faults. The word saḥ is repeated to emphasize his pitiful condition.