Devanagari
अस्पष्टकीर्ति: सुयशा मूर्खो भवति पण्डित: ।
इदं स्वस्त्ययनं पुंसाममङ्गल्यनिवारणम् ॥ ३४ ॥
Verse text
aspaṣṭa-kīrtiḥ suyaśā
mūrkho bhavati paṇḍitaḥ
idaṁ svasty-ayanaṁ puṁsām
amaṅgalya-nivāraṇam
Synonyms
aspaṣṭa
—
kīrtiḥ — unmanifested reputation
;
su
—
yaśāḥ — very famous
;
mūrkhaḥ
—
illiterate
;
bhavati
—
becomes
;
paṇḍitaḥ
—
learned
;
idam
—
this
;
svasti
—
ayanam — auspiciousness
;
puṁsām
—
of the men
;
amaṅgalya
—
inauspiciousness
;
nivāraṇam
—
prohibiting .
Translation
Also, one who hears this narration three times will become very reputable if he is not recognized in society, and he will become a great scholar if he is illiterate. In other words, hearing of the narrations of Pṛthu Mahārāja is so auspicious that it drives away all bad luck.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
A person with no reputation becomes famous and a fool becomes learned. This story brings auspiciousness and destroys inauspiciousness.
Purport
In the material world, everyone wants some profit, some adoration and some reputation. By associating in different ways with the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His devotee, one can very easily become opulent in every respect. Even if one is not known or recognized by society, he becomes very famous and important if he takes to devotional service and preaching. As far as education is concerned, one can become recognized in society as a great learned scholar simply by hearing
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
and
Bhagavad-gītā,
wherein the pastimes of the Lord and His devotees are described. This material world is full of dangers at every step, but a devotee has no fear because devotional service is so auspicious that it automatically counteracts all kinds of bad luck. Since hearing about Pṛthu Mahārāja is one of the items of devotional service (
śravaṇam
), naturally hearing about him brings all good fortune.