Devanagari
सन्तुष्ट: केन वा राजन्न वर्तेतापि वारिणा ।
औपस्थ्यजैह्व्यकार्पण्याद्गृहपालायते जन: ॥ १८ ॥
Verse text
santuṣṭaḥ kena vā rājan
na vartetāpi vāriṇā
aupasthya-jaihvya-kārpaṇyād
gṛha-pālāyate janaḥ
Synonyms
santuṣṭaḥ
—
a person who is always self-satisfied
;
kena
—
why
;
vā
—
or
;
rājan
—
O King
;
na
—
not
;
varteta
—
should live (happily)
;
api
—
even
;
vāriṇā
—
by drinking water
;
aupasthya
—
due to the genitals
;
jaihvya
—
and the tongue
;
kārpaṇyāt
—
because of a wretched or miserly condition
;
gṛha
—
pālāyate — he becomes exactly like a household dog
;
janaḥ
—
such a person .
Translation
My dear King, a self-satisfied person can be happy even with only drinking water. However, one who is driven by the senses, especially by the tongue and genitals, must accept the position of a household dog to satisfy his senses.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
O King! Why can a self-satisfied person not be happy with drinking only water? A person becomes a dog because of his pursuit of happiness derived from the activities of the genital and tongue.
Can he exist only on water? Yes even by water he can exist. Because of the miserable condition of seeking happiness by actions of the genital or tongue he becomes a dog.
Purport
According to the
śāstras,
a
brāhmaṇa,
or a cultured person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, will not enter anyone’s service to maintain body and soul together, and especially not for satisfaction of the senses. A true
brāhmaṇa
is always satisfied. Even if he has nothing to eat, he can drink a little water and be satisfied. This is only a matter of practice. Unfortunately, however, no one is educated in how to be satisfied in self-realization. As explained above, a devotee is always satisfied because he feels the presence of the Supersoul within his heart and thinks of Him twenty-four hours a day. That is real satisfaction. A devotee is never driven by the dictations of the tongue and genitals, and thus he is never victimized by the laws of material nature.