| Canto 11: General History | Chapter 26: The Aila-gita |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 11.26.19-20
svamino 'gneh sva-gridhrayoh
iti yo navasiyate
SYNONYMS
pitroh -- of the parents; kim -- whether; svam -- the property; nu -- or; bharyayah -- of the wife; svaminah -- of the employer; agneh -- of the fire; sva-gridhrayoh -- of the dogs and jackals; kim -- whether; atmanah -- of the soul; kim -- whether; suhridam -- of friends; iti -- thus; yah -- who; na avasiyate -- can never decide; tasmin -- to that; kalevare -- material body; amedhye -- abominable; tuccha-nishthe -- heading toward the lowest destination; vishajjate -- becomes attached; aho -- ah; su-bhadram -- very attractive; su-nasam -- having a beautiful nose; su-smitam -- beautiful smile; ca -- and; mukham -- the face; striyah -- 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-nishthe, 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 Maya enters within the female form and bewilders a man's mind. The man is attracted to Maya 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 Krishna consciousness and learn to serve the Supreme Lord without falsely trying to exploit His potencies.
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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