Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 7 Chapter 2 Verse 40

Canto 7: The Science of God | Chapter 2: Hiraṇyakaśipu, King of the Demons

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.2.40

pathi cyutaḿ tiṣṭhati diṣṭa-rakṣitaḿ

gṛhe sthitaḿ tad-vihataḿ vinaśyati

jīvaty anātho 'pi tad-īkṣito vane

gṛhe 'bhigupto 'sya hato na jīvati

SYNONYMS

pathi — on the public road; cyutam — some possession dropped; tiṣṭhati — it remains; diṣṭa-rakṣitam — protected by destiny; gṛhe — at home; sthitam — although situated; tat-vihatam — struck by the will of the Supreme; vinaśyati — it is lost; jīvati — remains alive; anāthaḥ api — although without a protector; tat-īkṣitaḥ — being protected by the Lord; vane — in the forest; gṛhe — at home; abhiguptaḥ — well hidden and protected; asya — of this one; hataḥ — struck; na — not; jīvati — lives.

TRANSLATION

Sometimes one loses his money on a public street, where everyone can see it, and yet his money is protected by destiny and not seen by others. Thus the man who lost it gets it back. On the other hand, if the Lord does not give protection, even money maintained very securely at home is lost. If the Supreme Lord gives one protection, even though one has no protector and is in the jungle, one remains alive, whereas a person well protected at home by relatives and others sometimes dies, no one being able to protect him.

PURPORT

These are examples of the supremacy of the Lord. Our plans to protect or annihilate do not act, but whatever He thinks of doing actually happens. The examples given in this regard are practical. Everyone has had such practical experiences, and there are also many other clear examples. For instance, Prahlāda Mahārāja said that a child is certainly dependent on his father and mother, but in spite of their presence, the child is harassed in many ways. Sometimes, in spite of a supply of good medicine and an experienced physician, a patient does not survive. Therefore, since everything is dependent on the free will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, our only duty is to surrender unto Him and seek His protection.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness