Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.18.24

pura-grāma-vrajān sārthān

bhikṣārthaḿ praviśaḿś caret

puṇya-deśa-saric-chaila-

vanāśrama-vatīḿ mahīm

SYNONYMS

pura — cities; grāma — towns; vrajān — and pasturing grounds; sa-arthān — those working for bodily maintenance; bhikṣā-artham — for begging alms; praviśan — entering; caret — he should travel; puṇya — pure; deśa — places; sarit — with rivers; śaila — mountains; vana — and forests; āśrama-vatīm — possessing such residential places; mahīm — the earth.

TRANSLATION

The sage should travel in sanctified places, by flowing rivers and within the solitude of mountains and forests. He should enter the cities, towns and pasturing grounds and approach ordinary working men only to beg his bare sustenance.

PURPORT

According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, the word pura refers to cities and towns with shopping centers, markets and other commercial enterprises, whereas grāma refers to smaller towns, lacking such facilities. The vānaprastha or sannyāsī trying to become free from material attachment should avoid those who are working day and night for sense gratification, approaching them only to engage them in necessary acts of charity. Those who are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world are understood to be liberated souls, and therefore they constantly approach the materialistic living entities to engage them in the devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa. However, even such preachers should strictly avoid contact with the materialistic world when not actually necessary for advancing the mission of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The injunction is that one should not deal unnecessarily with the materialistic world.

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