TEXT 1
é[qbadraYai
Sa WvMaaXa&iSaTa oÖveNa>aaGavTaMau:YaeNadaXaahRMau:Ya> )
Sa>aaJaYaN>a*TYavcaeMauku-NdSTaMaab>aazeé[v ))1))
çré-bädaräyaëir uväca
sa evam äçaŕsita uddhavena bhägavata-mukhyena däçärha-mukhyaů
sabhäjayan bhĺtya-vaco mukundas tam äbabhäńe çravaëéya-véryaů
Çukadeva Gosvämé said: Lord Mukunda, the foremost of Däçärhas, at the request
of the exalted devotee, Uddhava, first praised His servant’s fine statements. The Lord,
whose pastimes are meditated upon by great sages, then replied.
COMMENTARY
This chapter describes how a dishonest person lost his wealth and then was insulted
by miscreants, and how one can remove his distress with the help of his intelligence.
The Song of the Avanté Brähmaëa
TEXT 2
é[q>aGavaNauvac
bahRSPaTYaSaNaaSTYa}aSaaDauvŒduJaRNaeirTaE> )
dur˘E-i>aRŕMaaTMaaNa&Ya>SaMaaDaaTauMaqěr> ))2))
çré-bhagavän uväca
bärhaspatya sa nästy atra sädhur vai durjaneritaiů
duraktair bhinnam ätmänaŕ yaů samädhätum éçvaraů
543
The Supreme Lord said: O disciple of Bĺhaspati, rare is the saintly person in this
world who is capable of pacifying his mind after it has been agitated by the harsh words
of a miscreant.
COMMENTARY
The Supreme Lord said: O disciple of Bĺhaspati, my dear Uddhava, your statements
are most reasonable. There is a completely spiritual path that is incomprehensible even
to your spiritual master, Bĺhaspati. Now, hear of this from Me.
PURPORT
Devotees try to follow in the footsteps of saintly persons, and yet non-devotees often
attack them by putting forth unreasonable arguments. Upon seeing the non-devotees’
life of eat, drink, and make merry, the simple-minded and peaceful devotees feel broken-
hearted. Although the devotees remain aloof from sinful persons, the non-devotees’
abominable mentality and their harsh words by which they insult others certainly curb
the progress of the human society.
TEXT 3
NaTaQaaTaPYaTaeivÖ>PauMaaNba )
YaQaaTaudiNTaMaMaRSQaaůSaTaa&Paĺzezv> ))3))
na tathä tapyate viddhaů pumän bäëais tu marma-gaiů
yathä tudanti marma-sthä hy asatäŕ paruńeńavaů
The harsh and insulting words hurled by the lowest among men cause more pain than
the sharp arrows that penetrate one’s chest during a battle.
544
UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ
COMMENTARY
Harsh words are here compared to sharp arrows.
TEXT 4
k-QaYaiNTaMahTPau
TaMah&v ))4))
kathayanti mahat puëyam itihäsam ihoddhava
tam ahaŕ varëayińyämi nibodha su-samähitaů
My dear Uddhava, please listen attentively as I narrate a most pious history that the
compilers of the Puräëas have narrated in this regard.
TEXT 5
ke-NaiciŮ+auaUTaeNaduJaRNaE> )
SMarTaaDa*iTaYau˘e-NaivPaak&-iNaJak-MaR
kenacid bhikńuëä gétaŕ paribhütena durjanaiů
smaratä dhĺti-yuktena vipäkaŕ nija-karmaëäm
Once there was a sannyäsé who was insulted in many ways by sinful men. However,
with determination, he remembered that he was suffering the results of his previous
actions. I shall now narrate to you his story, and that which he spoke.
COMMENTARY
Although it is common to hear harsh words these days, they are nonetheless more
painful than sharp arrows. The Lord is herein narrating a story from the Puräëas. The
word vipäka means “fruits.”
PURPORT
Those who try to live a renounced and saintly life are generally insulted by uncivilized
men. Still, a saintly person knows that he is not simply being offended by coarse fools.
He knows that whatever happiness and distress he experiences in this world are the
results of his previous activities. Therefore, it is always advised that those who desire
liberation from material existence, regardless of the path they cultivate, should never
become angry and retaliate those who offend or insult them. In this regard, Çré Caitanya
Mahäprabhu has instructed us to be as toleranat as a tree. This instruction is for the
The Song of the Avanté Brähmaëa
545
benefit of all kinds of people because practically, in any endeavor, it is experienced that
only by tolerance is conflict avoided. If one does not respond to those who offend him,
one will find that such ruffians will soon leave him alone.
TEXT 6
AviNTazuiÜJa>k-iędaSaqda!yTaMa>ié[Yaa )
vaTaaRv*ita>k-dYaRSTauk-aMaqlu/BDaae_iTak-aePaNa> ))6))
avantińu dvijaů kaçcid äséd äňhyatamaů çriyä
värtä-vĺttiů kadaryas tu kämé lubdho ‘ti-kopanaů
Long ago, in the country of Avanti, there lived a brähmaëa who was wealthy and
endowed with great opulence. He engaged in farming and commerce, but he was very
miserly, lusty, greedy, and prone to anger.
COMMENTARY
The city of Avanté is in the district of Malwa. This brähmaëa was a farmer and
businessman by profession, but his character was abominable. One who gives abuses to
his wife and children, disregards all religious principles, disrespects the demigods and
guests, and torments servants is certainly an abominable person.
TEXT 7
jaTaYaae_iTaQaYaSTaSYavax(Maa}ae )
XaUNYaavSaQa AaTMaaiPak-ale/k-aMaErNaicRTa> ))7))
jďätayo ‘tithayas tasya väě-mätreëäpi närcitäů
çünyävasatha ätmäpi käle kämair anarcitaů
In his home, which was devoid of religiosity and reasonable comfort, no one was given
respect, be they family members or guests. Not only was the brähmaëa miserly toward
others, he did not even grant his own body sufficient gratification.
COMMENTARY
The brähmaëa’s householder life was completely devoid of any religious
observances.
546
UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ
TEXT 8
du>Xaql/SYak-dYaRSYad]uůNTaePau}abaNDava> )
daraduihTarae>a*TYaaivz<
duůçélasya kadaryasya druhyante putra-bändhaväů
därä duhitaro bhĺtyä vińaëëä näcaran priyam
Because he was so callous and stingy, his wife, children, and other relatives, and even
his servants came to hate him. Being thoroughly disgusted with him, they did not even
bother to feign affection.
COMMENTARY
Neighbors always hate a wicked person.
TEXT 9
TaSYaEv&Ya+aivtaSYaCYauTaSYaae>aYal/aek-Ta> )
DaMaRk-aMaivhqNaSYacu§u-Dau>PaÄ>aaiGaNa> ))9))
tasyaivaŕ yakńa-vittasya cyutasyobhaya-lokataů
dharma-käma-vihénasya cukrudhuů paďca-bhäginaů
The five presiding deities of the five family sacrifices became angry with the brähmaëa
who, being very frugal, protected his wealth like a Yakńa, who was certainly cultivating
inauspiciousness for both this life and the next, and who was totally devoid of religiosity
and sense enjoyment.
COMMENTARY
The Yakńas only business is to accumulate and protect wealth. They do not utilize
it, either for themselves of for others. The five types of living entities who deserve a
share of sacrificial offerings are the demigods, sages, forefathers, human beings, and
lower classes of beings. When they are deprived of their share, they become angry at a
householder.
PURPORT
If the demigods, sages, forefathers, human beings, and other living entities do not
receive their respective shares of sacrificial performances, they become angry at a
materialistic fruitive worker.
The Song of the Avanté Brähmaëa
TEXT 10
TadvDYaaNaivóSTaPauaUird )
AQaaeR_PYaGaC^iNNaDaNa&bűaYaaSaPairé[Ma> ))10))
tad-avadhyäna-visrasta-puëya-skandhasya bhüri-da
artho ‘py agacchan nidhanaŕ bahv-äyäsa-pariçramaů
547
O magnanimous Uddhava, as a result of disregarding the demigods in this way, the
brähmaëa gradually lost his accumulated piety and soon became bereft of his hard-earned
wealth.
COMMENTARY
The brähmaëa lost everything, including his hard-earned wealth, because of
neglecting those upon whom he depended. Accumulating wealth by means of farming
and trading is certainly very laborious.
TEXT 11
HaaTYaaeJaGa*hu>ik-iÄiTk-iÄŐSYav oÖv )
dEvTa>k-al/Ta>ik-iÄŘ]řbNDaaeNa*RPaaiQaRvaTa( ))11))
ďätyo jagĺhuů kiďcit kiďcid dasyava uddhava
daivataů kälataů kiďcid brahma-bandhor nĺ-pärthivät
O Uddhava, some of the wealth of that fallen brähmaëa was taken away by his
relatives, some by thieves, some by providence, some by the influence of time, some by
ordinary men, and some by the king.
COMMENTARY
The brähmaëa lost his wealth as a result of natural calamities, such as fire in his
house, as well as due to food grains rotting under the influence of time, theft, government
taxes, and pilfering by his friends and relatives. In this way, he became a poor man.
PURPORT
If a brähmaëa neglects his brahminical duties, he is referred to as brahma-bandhu,
or a so-called brähmaëa, and not considered a genuine brähmaëa. One who takes
pride in posing as a brähmaëa without making any attempt to elevate himself to the
transcendental platform is not a genuine brähmaëa, but is referred to as brahma-bandhu,
548
UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ
or the friend of a brähmaëa. Devotees of the Lord are not proud, thinking themselves
to be the most exalted members of society. Rather, they very humbly think themselves
fallen and without any qualifications. However, those who are intelligent know that such
humble devotees are actually brähmaëas whose hearts are cleansed by their engagement
in the devotional service of the Lord.
TEXT 12
Sa Wv&d]iv )
oPaei+aTaęSvJaNaEięNTaaMaaPadurTYaYaaMa( ))12))
sa evaŕ draviëe nańöe dharma-käma-vivarjitaů
upekńitaç ca sva-janaiç cintäm äpa duratyayäm
At last, when all his wealth was lost, the brahmaëa, who never engaged in religious
practices or sense enjoyment, was totally ignored by his family. Because of this, he began
to feel terrible anxiety.
TEXT 13
TaSYaEv&DYaaYaTaaedqga|NaíraYaSTaPaiSvNa> )
i%ŰTaaebaZPak-<#=SYaiNaveRd>SauMahaNa>aUTa( ))13))
tasyaivaŕ dhyäyato dérghaŕ nańöa-räyas tapasvinaů
khidyato bäńpa-kaëöhasya nirvedaů su-mahän abhüt
Being deprived of his wealth, the brähmaëa felt great fear and lamentation. Thereafter,
while meditating upon his misfortune at great length, a strong feeling of detachment
developed within him.
COMMENTARY
The miserly brähmaëa had to suffer the consequences of his own faults. Finally, due
to his previous training in piety, he experienced a change of heart. When he lost all his
wealth, the brähmaëa had no alternative but to live like an ascetic.
TEXT 14
SacahedMahaek-í&v*QaaTMaaMae_NauTaaiPaTa> )
NaDaMaaRYaNak-aMaaYaYaSYaaQaaRYaaSa wRd*Xa> ))14))
The Song of the Avanté Brähmaëa
sa cähedam aho kańöaŕ vĺthätmä me ‘nutäpitaů
na dharmäya na kämäya yasyärthäyäsa édĺçaů
549
The brähmaëa spoke as follows: O what great misfortune! I simply tormented myself
uselessly, working so hard to earn money that was not utilized for religiosity or material
enjoyment.
PURPORT
When one suffers a great setback on the path of his material life, one may understand
that by failing to utilize everything in the service of the Supreme Lord and instead
engaging in activities having no relationship with Kĺńëa consciousness, one gains
nothing.
TEXT 15
Pa[aYaek-dYaaR
whcaTMaaePaTaaPaaYaMa*TaSYaNark-aYac ))15))
präyeëäthäů kadaryäëäŕ na sukhäya kadäcana
iha cätmopatäpäya mĺtasya narakäya ca
Generally, the wealth of misers never affords them any happiness. In this life, it
simply torments them with anxiety, and when they die, it buys their ticket to hell.
COMMENTARY
Being afraid to spend any money, misers avoid performing constitutional and
conventional duties.
PURPORT
Conditioned souls who have forgotten their constitutional position accept many
things in this world to be their ultimate goal of life. However, these things become the
cause of their degradation, making them suffer in hell in their next life.
TEXT 16
YaXaaeYaXaiSvNaa&XauÖ&ëagYaaYaeGaui )
l/ae>a>SvLPaae_iPaTaaNhiNTaiě}aaećPaiMaveiPSaTaMa( ))16))
550
UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ
yaço yaçasvinäŕ çuddhaŕ çläghyä ye guëinäŕ guëäů
lobhaů sv-alpo ‘pi tän hanti çvitro rüpam ivepsitam
Just as even a trace of white leprosy spoils one’s physical beauty, even a tinge of greed
destroys a person’s good reputation and sullies whatever praiseworthy qualities are found
in a virtuous soul.
COMMENTARY
White leprosy certainly spoils a person’s beauty.
TEXT 17
AQaRSYaSaaDaNaeiSaÖe oTk-zeRr+a
NaaXaaePa>aaeGa AaYaaSańaSaięNTaa>a]MaaeNa*
arthasya sädhane siddhe utkarńe rakńaëe vyaye
Näçopabhoga äyäsas träsaç cintä bhramo nĺëäm
People who work very hard to earn and accumulate wealth are afraid of spending it,
are in anxiety about protecting it, and become bewildered when it is lost.
COMMENTARY
There are various kinds of distress experienced by one who endeavors to accumulate
wealth. Such misery is experienced at all stages—while earning it, while protecting it,
while spending it, and when it is somehow lost. There are fifteen types of anartha born
of wealth, such as gambling, drinking wine, and so on.
PURPORT
Because the means for acquiring wealth, as well as its attainment, enhancement,
protection,andexpenditureareundertheinfluence of time,thesearealways accompanied
by anxiety, hard labor, and bewilderment.
TEXT 18-19
STaeYa&ih&SaaNa*Ta&dM>a>k-aMa>§-aeDa>SMaYaaeMad> )
>aedaevErMaivěaSa>Sa&SPaDaaRVYaSaNaaiNac ))18))
WTaePaÄdXaaNaQaaRůQaRMaUl/aMaTaaNa*
TaSMaadNaQaRMaQaaR:Ya&é[eYaae_QasdUrTaSTYaJaeTa( ))19))
The Song of the Avanté Brähmaëa
steyaŕ hiŕsänĺtaŕ dambhaů kämaů krodhaů smayo madaů
bhedo vairam aviçväsaů saŕspardhä vyasanäni ca
ete paďcadaçänarthä hy artha-mülä matä nĺëäm
tasmäd anartham arthäkhyaŕ çreyo-’rthé düratas tyajet
551
Fifteen undesirable qualities arise because of wealth—theft, violence, falsehood,
duplicity, lust, anger, quarrel, madness, competition, enmity, faithlessness, arrogance, and
the dangers arising from attachment to women, gambling, and intoxication. Therefore,
those who desire their own benefit should give up attachment to excessive wealth, which
is the mother of all anarthas.
COMMENTARY
It takes great endeavor to accumulate wealth. Then, one is always afraid that his
wealth will be stolen or taken away by some other means. To protect his wealth, one
must lie, and excessive wealth certainly is the cause of great pride and delusion. In
this way, there are fifteen kinds of anartha that surface because of wealth. It can be
concluded that artha (wealth) is the cause of all anarthas (unwanted things).
PURPORT
One who desires his actual benefit should reject as useless that which is ascertained
as beneficial according to worldly calculation. In this connection, there are fifteen
unwanted things that are created by excessive wealth. The main intention of those
who accumulate great wealth is sense gratification. The unwanted things that are born
from excessive wealth are theft, violence, lying, pride, lust, anger, false pride, madness,
duplicity, enmity, faithlessness, arrogance, and addiction to women, gambling, and
intoxication. In general, gold and silver coins that are exchanged for the objects of sense
gratification are known as artha, or wealth.
TEXT 20
i>aŰNTae>a]aTaraedara>iPaTar>SauôdSTaQaa )
Wk-aiňGDaa>k-aik-iSaveR_rYa>k*-Taa> ))20))
bhidyante bhrätaro däräů pitaraů suhĺdas tathä
ekäsnigdhäů käkiëinä sadyaů sarve ‘rayaů kĺtäů
Even a man’s brothers, wife, parents, and friends, who appear bound to him in love
can immediately break off their affectionate relationships and become enemies due to a
dispute over even an insignificant sum of money.
552
UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ
COMMENTARY
Even though one’s brothers, father, wife, and friends may appear to be on good terms
with him, they can quickly turn into enemies for the sake of a single penny.
PURPORT
The word käkiëi means “twenty barätikä,” which is the coin of the smallest
denomination, or value.
TEXT 21
AQaeRNaaLPaqYaSaaůeTaeSa&rBDaadqáMaNYav> )
TYaJaNTYaaXauSPa*DaaeganiNTaSahSaaeTSa*JYaSaaEôdMa( ))21))
arthenälpéyasä hy ete saŕrabdhä dépta-manyavaů
tyajanty äçu spĺdho ghnanti sahasotsĺjya sauhĺdam
For the sake of even an insignificant amount of money, these dear ones may become
agitated and angry. Within a moment they may give up their affection and sever all ties,
even up to the point of murder.
COMMENTARY
The word spĺdhaů means “audacity, or arrogance.”
TEXT 22
l/BßaJaNMaaMarPa[aQYa|MaaNauZYa&Taid(ÜJaaGa]yTaaMa( )
TadNaad*TYaYaeSvaQa|ganiNTaYaaNTYaXau>aa&GaiTaMa( ))22))
labdhvä janmämara-prärthyaŕ mänuńyaŕ tad dvijägryatäm
tad anädĺtya ye svärthaŕ ghnanti yänty açubhäŕ gatim
Those who obtain this rare human form of life, which is desired even by the demigods,
and take birth as brähmaëas, are extremely fortunate. If they misuse this opportunity
and fail to attain their real self-interest, they come to a most unfortunate end.
PURPORT
Human life is superior to that of a demigod, ghost, animal, tree, or an inanimate stone
because the demigods are absorbed in celestial pleasure while neglecting their real self-
interest, and in other forms of life there is predominantly suffering. Human life affords
The Song of the Avanté Brähmaëa
553
one the opportunity of attaining the ultimate goal of life. In the human form, one has
the opportunity of surpassing the concocted ideas born of a background of anyäbhiläńa,
karma and jďäna, and engaging in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. In the
life of a çudra, which is generally devoid of piety, there is no possibility of contemplating
one’s real self-interest because a çudra is very busy serving the other three varëas, as
well as his desires for sense enjoyment. Knowledge of Brahman and Paramätmä, and
the right for serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are the domain of the best of
the twice-born. However, such a high birth has no value if one is bereft of Lord Hari’s
service. There is no value in simply becoming a so-called brahmana. In this regard one
should carefully consider this verse from the Srimad-Bhägavatam (11.5.3):
ya eńäŕ puruńaŕ säkńäd ätma-prabhavam éçvaram
na bhajanty avajänanti sthänäd bhrańöäů patanty adhaů
Anyone who does not render service and neglects his duty unto the primeval
Lord, who is the source of all living entities, will certainly fall down from his
constitutional position.
The desire to become master of all one surveys checks one’s advancement in spiritual
life. When a brähmaëa gives up the devotional service of the Lord and works hard like
a çüdra, simply for the prestige of his community, then lording it over material nature
and the desire to enjoy the fruits of karma become very prominent A brähmaëa, free
from false prestige, should feel himself lower than a blade of grass and offer respect to
all living entities. All human beings, and especially brähmaëas, should avoid becoming
killers of their own self-interest by neglecting Kĺńëa consciousness, the loving service of
the Lord. Such neglect paves the way for future suffering.
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