SB 7.6.15 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

वित्तेषु नित्याभिनिविष्टचेता विद्वांश्च दोषं परवित्तहर्तु: । प्रेत्येह वाथाप्यजितेन्द्रियस्त- दशान्तकामो हरते कुटुम्बी ॥ १५ ॥

Verse text

vitteṣu nityābhiniviṣṭa-cetā vidvāṁś ca doṣaṁ para-vitta-hartuḥ pretyeha vāthāpy ajitendriyas tad aśānta-kāmo harate kuṭumbī

Synonyms

vitteṣu — in material wealth ; nitya — abhiniviṣṭa — cetāḥ — whose mind is always absorbed ; vidvān — having learned ; ca — also ; doṣam — the fault ; para — vitta — hartuḥ — of one who steals the money of others by cheating or by transactions on the black market ; pretya — after dying ; iha — in this material world ; vā — or ; athāpi — still ; ajita — indriyaḥ — because of being unable to control the senses ; tat — that ; aśānta — kāmaḥ — whose desires are unsatiated ; harate — steals ; kuṭumbī — too fond of his family .

Translation

If a person too attached to the duties of family maintenance is unable to control his senses, the core of his heart is immersed in how to accumulate money. Although he knows that one who takes the wealth of others will be punished by the law of the government, and by the laws of Yamarāja after death, he continues cheating others to acquire money.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Since he is constantly absorbed in money, is attached to his family, and has unfulfilled desires, unable to control his senses, he steals, though he knows it is wrong to steal other’s money, since there are consequences now and after death. Though he knows that after dying he will experience hell and in this life get punishment from the king, he still steals money.

Purport

Especially in these days, people do not believe in a next life or in the court of Yamarāja and the various punishments of the sinful. But at least one should know that one who cheats others to acquire money will be punished by the laws of the government. Nonetheless, people do not care about the laws of this life or those governing the next. Despite whatever knowledge one has, one cannot stop his sinful activities if he is unable to control his senses.