SB 12.3.5 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

समुद्रावरणां जित्वा मां विशन्त्यब्धिमोजसा । कियदात्मजयस्यैतन्मुक्तिरात्मजये फलम् ॥ ५ ॥

Verse text

samudrāvaraṇāṁ jitvā māṁ viśanty abdhim ojasā kiyad ātma-jayasyaitan muktir ātma-jaye phalam

Synonyms

samudra — āvaraṇām — bounded by the ocean ; jitvā — having conquered ; mām — me ; viśanti — they enter ; abdhim — the ocean ; ojasā — by their strength ; kiyat — how much ; ātma — jayasya — of victory over the self ; etat — this ; muktiḥ — liberation ; ātma — jaye — of victory over the self ; phalam — the fruit .

Translation

“After conquering all the land on my surface, these proud kings forcibly enter the ocean to conquer the sea itself. What is the use of their self-control, which is aimed at political exploitation? The actual goal of self-control is spiritual liberation.”

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

After conquering all the land on my surface, they forcibly enter the ocean. What is the use of a kingdom for a person with control of the mind? Liberation is the goal for a person with control of the mind. After conquering the earth, they enter the ocean to steal the jewels. Those who want to attain a kingdom by sense control are fools.