182
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 8, Ch. 22]
materialist becomes so proud that he has no regard for anyone and even refuses to accept the authority of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The result of such a mentality is certainly very dangerous. To show special favor, the Lord sometimes makes an example of someone like Bali Mahārāja, who was now bereft of all his possessions.
TEXT 25
यदा कदाचिजोवात्मा संसरन् निजकर्ममिः । नानायोनिष्वनीशोऽयं पौरुषीं गतिमात्रजेत् ॥२५॥
yadā kadācij jīvātmā saṁsaran nija-karmabhiḥ nānā-yoniṣv anīśo 'yaṁ pauruṣīṁ gatim āvrajet
yadā —when;  kadācit —sometimes;  jīva-ātmā —the living entity;  saṁsaran —rotating in the cycle of birth and death;  nija-karmabhiḥ —because of his own fruitive activities;  nānā-yoniṣu —in different species of life;  anīśaḥ —not independent (completely under the control of material nature);  ayam —this living entity;  pauruṣīṁ gatim —the situation of being human;  āvrajet —wants to obtain.
TRANSLATION
While rotating in the cycle of birth and death again and again in different species because of his own fruitive activities, the dependent living entity, by good fortune, may happen to become a human being. This human birth is very rarely obtained.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is fully independent. Thus it is not always a fact that a living being's loss of all opulence is a sign of the Supreme Lord's mercy upon him. The Lord can act any way He likes. He may take away one's opulence, or He may not. There are varieties of forms of life, and the Lord treats them according to the circumstances, as He chooses. Generally it is to be understood that the human form of life is one of great responsibility.