Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 12.2.36

eteṣāḿ nāma-lińgānāḿ

puruṣāṇāḿ mahātmanām

kathā-mātrāvaśiṣṭānāḿ

kīrtir eva sthitā bhuvi

SYNONYMS

eteṣām — of these; nāma — their names; lińgānām — which are the only means of remembering them; puruṣāṇām — of the personalities; mahā-ātmanām — who were great souls; kathā — the stories; mātra — merely; avaśiṣṭānām — whose remaining portion; kīrtiḥ — the glories; eva — only; sthitā — are present; bhuvi — on the earth.

TRANSLATION

These personalities, who were great souls, are now known only by their names. They exist only in accounts from the past, and only their fame remains on the earth.

PURPORT

Although one may consider oneself to be a great, powerful leader, he will ultimately end up as a name in a long list of names. In other words, it is useless to be attached to power and position in the material world.

<<< >>>

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