SB 8.22.17 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

यया हि विद्वानपि मुह्यते यत- स्तत् को विचष्टे गतिमात्मनो यथा । तस्मै नमस्ते जगदीश्वराय वै नारायणायाखिललोकसाक्षिणे ॥ १७ ॥

Verse text

yayā hi vidvān api muhyate yatas tat ko vicaṣṭe gatim ātmano yathā tasmai namas te jagad-īśvarāya vai nārāyaṇāyākhila-loka-sākṣiṇe

Synonyms

yayā — by which material opulence ; hi — indeed ; vidvān api — even a person fortunately advanced in education ; muhyate — becomes bewildered ; yataḥ — self-controlled ; tat — that ; kaḥ — who ; vicaṣṭe — can search for ; gatim — the progress ; ātmanaḥ — of the self ; yathā — properly ; tasmai — unto Him ; namaḥ — I offer my respectful obeisances ; te — unto You ; jagat — īśvarāya — unto the Lord of the universe ; vai — indeed ; nārāyaṇāya — unto His Lordship Nārāyaṇa ; akhila — loka — sākṣiṇe — who are the witness of all creation .

Translation

Material opulence is so bewildering that it makes even a learned, self-controlled man forget to search for the goal of self-realization. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, the Lord of the universe, can see everything by His will. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Bewildered by wealth, even a learned, self-controlled man, while possessing wealth, cannot see the truth about the self. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord of the universe, Nārāyaṇa, the witness of all people. Even a person who controls the senses, in the presence of wealth, can see the truth (gatim) about the self. No one can see. You have no fault in taking back what you have given. You are like a father who out of affection for his child, snatched from the child a sweet he has given him, understanding it will be unhealthy for him.

Purport

The words ko vicaṣṭe gatim ātmano yathā indicate that when one is puffed up by the false prestige of possessing material opulence, he certainly neglects the goal of self-realization. This is the position of the modern world. Because of so-called scientific improvements in material opulence, people have entirely given up the path of self-realization. Practically no one is interested in God, one’s relationship with God or how one should act. Modern men have altogether forgotten such questions because they are mad for material possessions. If this kind of civilization continues, the time will soon come when the Supreme Personality of Godhead will take away all the material opulences. Then people will come to their senses.