Devanagari
श्रीभगवानुवाच
ब्रह्मन् यमनुगृह्णामि तद्विशो विधुनोम्यहम् ।
यन्मद: पुरुष: स्तब्धो लोकं मां चावमन्यते ॥ २४ ॥
Verse text
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
brahman yam anugṛhṇāmi
tad-viśo vidhunomy aham
yan-madaḥ puruṣaḥ stabdho
lokaṁ māṁ cāvamanyate
Synonyms
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
—
the Supreme Personality of Godhead said
;
brahman
—
O Lord Brahmā
;
yam
—
unto anyone to whom
;
anugṛhṇāmi
—
I show My mercy
;
tat
—
his
;
viśaḥ
—
material opulence or riches
;
vidhunomi
—
take away
;
aham
—
I
;
yat-madaḥ
—
having false prestige due to this money
;
puruṣaḥ
—
such a person
;
stabdhaḥ
—
being dull-minded
;
lokam
—
the three worlds
;
mām ca
—
unto Me also
;
avamanyate
—
derides.
Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Lord Brahmā, because of material opulence a foolish person becomes dull-witted and mad. Thus he has no respect for anyone within the three worlds and defies even My authority. To such a person I show special favor by first taking away all his possessions.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
The Supreme Lord said: O Brahmā! Intoxicated by wealth, a person becomes arrogant. Thus he has no respect for anyone within the three worlds, not even for me. To such a person I show special favor by taking away all his possessions.
Viśaḥ means wealth. How can taking away wealth be mercy? By wealth a person becomes proud.
Purport
A civilization that has become godless because of material advancement in opulence is extremely dangerous. Because of great opulence, a materialist becomes so proud that he has no regard for anyone and even refuses to accept the authority of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The result of such a mentality is certainly very dangerous. To show special favor, the Lord sometimes makes an example of someone like Bali Mahārāja, who was now bereft of all his possessions.