Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 3 Chapter 30 Verse 3

Canto 3: The Status Quo | Chapter 30: Description by Lord Kapila of Adverse Fruitive Activities

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.30.3

yad adhruvasya dehasya

sānubandhasya durmatiḥ

dhruvāṇi manyate mohād

gṛha-kṣetra-vasūni ca

SYNONYMS

yat — because; adhruvasya — temporary; dehasya — of the body; sa-anubandhasya — with that which is related; durmatiḥ — a misguided person; dhruvāṇi — permanent; manyate — thinks; mohāt — because of ignorance; gṛha — home; kṣetra — land; vasūni — wealth; ca — and.

TRANSLATION

The misguided materialist does not know that his very body is impermanent and that the attractions of home, land and wealth, which are in relationship to that body, are also temporary. Out of ignorance only, he thinks that everything is permanent.

PURPORT

The materialist thinks that persons engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are crazy fellows wasting time by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, but actually he does not know that he himself is in the darkest region of craziness because of accepting his body as permanent. And, in relation to his body, he accepts his home, his country, his society and all other paraphernalia as permanent. This materialistic acceptance of the permanency of home, land, etc., is called the illusion of māyā. This is clearly mentioned here. Mohād gṛha-kṣetra-vasūni: out of illusion only does the materialist accept his home, his land and his money as permanent. Out of this illusion, the family life, national life and economic development, which are very important factors in modern civilization, have grown. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person knows that this economic development of human society is but temporary illusion.

In another part of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the acceptance of the body as oneself, the acceptance of others as kinsmen in relationship to this body and the acceptance of the land of one's birth as worshipable are declared to be the products of an animal civilization. When, however, one is enlightened in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can use these for the service of the Lord. That is a very suitable proposition. Everything has a relationship with Kṛṣṇa. When all economic development and material advancement are utilized to advance the cause of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, a new phase of progressive life arises.

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