Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 11 Chapter 26 Verses 19-20

Canto 11: General History | Chapter 26: The Aila-gītā

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.26.19-20

pitroḥ kiḿ svaḿ nu bhāryāyāḥ

svāmino 'gneḥ śva-gṛdhrayoḥ

kim ātmanaḥ kiḿ suhṛdām

iti yo nāvasīyate

tasmin kalevare 'medhye

tuccha-niṣṭhe viṣajjate

aho su-bhadraḿ su-nasaḿ

su-smitaḿ ca mukhaḿ striyaḥ

SYNONYMS

pitroḥ — of the parents; kim — whether; svam — the property; nu — or; bhāryāyāḥ — of the wife; svāminaḥ — of the employer; agneḥ — of the fire; śva-gṛdhrayoḥ — of the dogs and jackals; kim — whether; ātmanaḥ — of the soul; kim — whether; suhṛdam — of friends; iti — thus; yaḥ — who; na avasīyate — can never decide; tasmin — to that; kalevare — material body; amedhye — abominable; tuccha-niṣṭhe — heading toward the lowest destination; viṣajjate — becomes attached; aho — ah; su-bhadram — very attractive; su-nasam — having a beautiful nose; su-smitam — beautiful smile; ca — and; mukham — the face; striyaḥ — of a woman.

TRANSLATION

One can never decide whose property the body actually is. Does it belong to one's parents, who have given birth to it, to one's wife, who gives it pleasure, or to one's employer, who orders the body around? Is it the property of the funeral fire or of the dogs and jackals who may ultimately devour it? Is it the property of the indwelling soul, who partakes in its happiness and distress, or does the body belong to intimate friends who encourage and help it? Although a man never definitely ascertains the proprietor of the body, he becomes most attached to it. The material body is a polluted material form heading toward a lowly destination, yet when a man stares at the face of a woman he thinks, "What a good-looking lady! What a charming nose she's got, and see her beautiful smile!"

PURPORT

The phrase tuccha-niṣṭhe, or "headed toward a lowly destination," indicates that if buried, the body will be consumed by worms; if burned, it will turn to ashes; and if dying in a lonely place, it will be consumed by dogs and vultures. The illusory potency of Māyā enters within the female form and bewilders a man's mind. The man is attracted to Māyā appearing within the female form, but when he embraces the woman's body he ends up with two handfuls of stool, blood, mucus, pus, skin, bone, hairs and flesh. People should not be like cats and dogs, in the ignorance of bodily consciousness. A human being should be enlightened in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and learn to serve the Supreme Lord without falsely trying to exploit His potencies.

<<< >>>

Copyright © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari