372 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 9

come to the platform of working in spiritual enlightenment he is considered
to be always sleeping. A devotee, therefore, never forgets the benefit
derived from the Lord.

The Lord is addressed here as drtabandhu, which means friend of the
distressed. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita, after many, many births of
executing severe austerities in search of knowledge, one comes to the
point of real knowledge and becomes wise when he surrenders unto
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Mayavadi philosopher who does
not surrender unto the Supreme Person is understood to be lacking in
real knowledge. The devotee in perfect knowledge cannot forget his obli-
gation to the Lord at any moment.

TEXT 9

ai figenqaea arm 4
{eat TATAATAANATST: |
waa HevEds FrTAieT-
firoofea aeerdal Feasts gongs

nunam vimusta-matayas tava mayaya te
ye tvam bhavapyaya-vimoksanam anya-hetoh
arcanti kalpaka-tarum kupapopabhogyam
icchanti yat sparsa-jam niraye ‘pi nrnam

ninam—certainly; vimusta-matayah—those who have lost their right
intelligence; tava—Your; mayaya—by influence of the illusory energy; te—
they; ye—who; tvdm—You; bhava—from birth; apyaya—and death;
vimoksanam-—the cause of liberation; anya-hetoh—for other purposes;
arcanti—worship; kalpaka-tarum—who are like the desire tree; kunapa—
of this dead body; upabhogyam—sense gratification; icchanti—they desire;
yat—that which; sparsa-jam—derived by touch sensation; niraye—in hell;
api—even; njnam—for persons.

TRANSLATION

Persons who worship You simply for the sense gratification of this bag
of skin are certainly influenced by Your illusory energy. In spite of
having You, who are like a desire tree and are the cause of liberation from
birth and death, foolish persons, such as me, desire benediction from You
for sense gratification, which is available even for those who live in hellish
conditions.
