| Canto 11: General History | Chapter 23: The Song of the Avanti Brahmana. |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 11.23.23
svargapavargayor dvaram
martyo 'narthasya dhamani
SYNONYMS
svarga -- of heaven; apavargayoh -- and liberation; dvaram -- the gateway; prapya -- achieving; lokam -- the human life; imam -- this; puman -- a person; dravine -- to property; kah -- who; anusajjeta -- will become attached; martyah -- prone to death; anarthasya -- of worthlessness; dhamani -- in the realm.
TRANSLATION
What mortal man, having achieved this human life, which is the very gateway to both heaven and liberation, would willingly become attached to that abode of worthlessness, material property?
PURPORT
That which one intends to use for one's personal sense gratification is called material property, whereas paraphernalia to be used in the Lord's loving service is understood to be spiritual. One should give up all one's material property by utilizing it completely in the devotional service of the Lord. A person who owns a luxurious mansion should install the Deity of the Lord and hold regular programs to propagate Krsna consciousness. Similarly, wealth should be used to build temples of the Lord and publish literature scientifically explaining the Personality of Godhead. One who blindly renounces material property without utilizing it in the service of the Lord does not understand that everything belongs to the Personality of Godhead. Such blind renunciation is based on the material idea that "This property could belong to me, but I don't want it." Everything, in fact, belongs to God; knowing this one neither tries to enjoy nor to reject the things of this world, but peacefully engages them in the service of the Lord.
Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari