—json {

  "name":"SB 9.4.15-16",
  "h1":"SB 9.4.15-16",
  "label":"Text 15-16",
  "title":"Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 9.4.15-16",
  "description":"Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, the most fortunate personality, achieved the rule of the entire world, consisting of seven islands, and achieved inexhaustible, unlimited opulence and prosperity on earth. Although such a position is rarely obtained, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa did not care for it at all, for he knew very well that all such opulence is material. Like that which is imagined in a dream, such opulence will ultimately be destroyed. The King knew that any nondevotee who attains such opulence merges increasingly into material nature's mode of darkness."

} —

SB 9.4.15-16

Text

śrī-śuka uvāca
ambarīṣo mahā-bhāgaḥ
sapta-dvīpavatīṁ mahīm
avyayāṁ ca śriyaṁ labdhvā
vibhavaṁ cātulaṁ bhuvi

mene 'tidurlabhaṁ puṁsāṁ
sarvaṁ tat svapna-saṁstutam
vidvān vibhava-nirvāṇaṁ
tamo viśati yat pumān

Synonyms

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca—Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; ambarīṣaḥ—King Ambarīṣa; mahā-bhāgaḥ—the greatly fortunate king; sapta-dvīpavatīm—consisting of seven islands; mahīm—the whole world; avyayām ca—and inexhaustible; śriyam—beauty; labdhvā—after achieving; vibhavam ca—and opulences; atulam—unlimited; bhuvi—in this earth; mene—he decided; ati-durlabham—which is rarely obtained; puṁsām—of many persons; sarvam—everything (he had obtained); tat—that which; svapna-saṁstutam—as if imagined in a dream; vidvān—completely understanding; vibhava-nirvāṇam—the annihilation of that opulence; tamaḥ—ignorance; viśati—fallen into; yat—because of which; pumān—a person.

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, the most fortunate personality, achieved the rule of the entire world, consisting of seven islands, and achieved inexhaustible, unlimited opulence and prosperity on earth. Although such a position is rarely obtained, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa did not care for it at all, for he knew very well that all such opulence is material. Like that which is imagined in a dream, such opulence will ultimately be destroyed. The King knew that any nondevotee who attains such opulence merges increasingly into material nature's mode of darkness.

Purport

For a devotee material opulence is insignificant, whereas for a nondevotee material opulence is the cause of increasing bondage, for a devotee knows that anything material is temporary, whereas a nondevotee regards the temporary so-called happiness as everything and forgets the path of self-realization. Thus for the nondevotee material opulence is a disqualification for spiritual advancement.