SB 8.19.41 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

पराग् रिक्तमपूर्णं वा अक्षरं यत् तदोमिति । यत् किञ्चिदोमिति ब्रूयात् तेन रिच्येत वै पुमान् । भिक्षवे सर्वम्ॐ कुर्वन्नालं कामेन चात्मने ॥ ४१ ॥

Verse text

parāg riktam apūrṇaṁ vā akṣaraṁ yat tad om iti yat kiṣcid om iti brūyāt tena ricyeta vai pumān bhikṣave sarvam oṁ kurvan nālaṁ kāmena cātmane

Synonyms

parāk — that which separates ; riktam — that which makes one free from attachment ; apūrṇam — that which is insufficient ; vā — either ; akṣaram — this syllable ; yat — that ; tat — which ; om — oṁkāra ; iti — thus stated ; yat — which ; kiṣcit — whatever ; om — this word om ; iti — thus ; brūyāt — if you say ; tena — by such an utterance ; ricyeta — one becomes free ; vai — indeed ; pumān — a person ; bhikṣave — unto a beggar ; sarvam — everything ; oṁ kurvan — giving charity by uttering the word om ; na — not ; alam — sufficiently ; kāmena — for sense gratification ; ca — also ; ātmane — for self-realization .

Translation

The utterance of the word om signifies separation from one’s monetary assets. In other words, by uttering this word one becomes free from attachment to money because his money is taken away from him. To be without money is not very satisfactory, for in that position one cannot fulfill one’s desires. In other words, by using the word om one becomes poverty-stricken. Especially when one gives charity to a poor man or beggar, one remains unfulfilled in self-realization and in sense gratification.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Oṁ indicates separation from wealth, being devoid of wealth. He who utters oṁ and agrees to give becomes lesser in wealth by that. If he decides to give everything to the person who requests, there will not be enough left for his own enjoyment. In order to make clear that by truthful words the body cannot survive, he explains the bad qualities of truth and the good qualities of lying in two verses. The word oṁ indicates parāk which means to separate oneself from wealth. Riktam, from the Śruti, means empty, explained by the word apūrṇam. Therefore, the person who utters oṁ, indicating that he will give, becomes lesser in wealth (ricyate) but not completely lacking in wealth. If one decides to give everything to the requester by uttering oṁ there will not remain enough for one’s own enjoyment (ātmane). He will not be able to accomplish his own enjoyment. The meaning of the above verse is stated in the Śruti: parāg vā etad riktam akṣaraṁ yad etad om iti tad yat kiṣcid om ityāhātraivāsmai tad ricyate sa yat sarvam oṁ kuryāt ricyād ātmānaṁ sa kāmebhyo nālaṁ syāt.

Purport

Mahārāja Bali wanted to give everything to Vāmanadeva, who had appeared as a beggar, but Śukrācārya, being Mahārāja Bali’s familial spiritual master in the line of seminal succession, could not appreciate Mahārāja Bali’s promise. Śukrācārya gave Vedic evidence that one should not give everything to a poor man. Rather, when a poor man comes for charity one should untruthfully say, “Whatever I have I have given you. I have no more.” It is not that one should give everything to him. Actually the word om is meant for oṁ tat sat, the Absolute Truth. Oṁkāra is meant for freedom from all attachment to money because money should be spent for the purpose of the Supreme. The tendency of modern civilization is to give money in charity to the poor. Such charity has no spiritual value because we actually see that although there are so many hospitals and other foundations and institutions for the poor, according to the three modes of material nature a class of poor men is always destined to continue. Even though there are so many charitable institutions, poverty has not been driven from human society. Therefore it is recommended here, bhikṣave sarvam oṁ kurvan nālaṁ kāmena cātmane. One should not give everything to the beggars among the poor. The best solution is that of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This movement is always kind to the poor, not only because it feeds them but also because it gives them enlightenment by teaching them how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. We are therefore opening hundreds and thousands of centers for those who are poor, both in money and in knowledge, to enlighten them in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and reform their character by teaching them how to avoid illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling, which are the most sinful activities and which cause people to suffer, life after life. The best way to use money is to open such a center, where all may come live and reform their character. They may live very comfortably, without denial of any of the body’s necessities, but they live under spiritual control, and thus they live happily and save time for advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one has money, it should not be squandered away on nothing. It should be used to push forward the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement so that all of human society will become happy, prosperous and hopeful of being promoted back home, back to Godhead. The Vedic mantra in this regard reads as follows: parāg vā etad riktam akṣaraṁ yad etad om iti tad yat kiṣcid om iti āhātraivāsmai tad ricyate; sa yat sarvam oṁ kuryād ricyād ātmānaṁ sa kāmebhyo nālaṁ syāt.