Devanagari
मा राज्यश्रीरभूत् पुंस: श्रेयस्कामस्य मानद ।
स्वजनानुत बन्धून् वा न पश्यति ययान्धदृक् ॥ ६४ ॥
Verse text
mā rājya-śrīr abhūt puṁsaḥ
śreyas-kāmasya māna-da
sva-janān uta bandhūn vā
na paśyati yayāndha-dṛk
Synonyms
mā
—
may not
;
rājya
—
royal
;
śrīḥ
—
fortune
;
abhūt
—
arise
;
puṁsaḥ
—
for a person
;
śreyaḥ
—
the real benefit of life
;
kāmasya
—
who desires
;
māna
—
da — O giver of respect
;
sva
—
janān — his kinsmen
;
uta
—
even
;
bandhūn
—
his friends
;
vā
—
or
;
na paśyati
—
he does not see
;
yayā
—
by which (opulence)
;
andha
—
blinded
;
dṛk
—
whose vision .
Translation
O most respectful one, may a person who wants the highest benefit in life never gain kingly opulence, for it leaves him blind to the needs of his own family and friends.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
O most respectful one, may a person who wants the highest benefit in life never gain kingly opulence, for it leaves him blind to the needs of his own family and friends.
KB 10.84.64
“My dear brother, you are so nice and gentle that you offer all respect to others but don’t care for any respect for yourself. A person seeking auspicious progress in life must avoid possessing too much material opulence so that he will not become blind and puffed up, and he should take care of his friends and relatives.”
Purport
It is, of course, out of his deep humility that Vasudeva is berating himself, but his condemnation of opulence is in general valid. Earlier in this canto Nārada Muni delivered a stinging criticism of Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva, two wealthy sons of Kuvera, the treasurer of heaven. Intoxicated by both pride and liquor, the two had failed to offer proper respects to Nārada when he happened upon them as they sported naked in the Mandākinī River with some young women. Seeing them in their shameful condition, Nārada said,
na hy anyo juṣato joṣyān
buddhi-bhraṁśo rajo-guṇaḥ
śrī-madād ābhijātyādir
yatra strī dyūtam āsavaḥ
“Among all the attractions of material enjoyment, the attraction of riches bewilders one’s intelligence more than having beautiful bodily features, taking birth in an aristocratic family, and being learned. When one is uneducated but falsely puffed up by wealth, the result is that one engages his wealth in enjoying wine, women and gambling.” (
Bhāg.
10.10.8
)
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
A person should not (ma abhut) obtain wealth and kingdom. The addition of " a" in abhut is poetic license. Putting Nanda into the ocean of great humility by his praises, Vasudeva also became submerged in humility as indicated by his words.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
O Nanda who respects others (māna-da)! Even having wealth, you give respect to others. You deserve wealth.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
The person who desires the highest auspiciousness in this and next life should not attain kingly wealth. He does not see even (uta) relatives or even friends (vā). The word vā indicates that friends are superior to relatives. Even having wealth, you give respect to others. You deserve wealth.