Text 42] What Prahlada Learned in the Womb 99

from this; viparyasam—the opposite; amogham—unfailingly; vin-
date —achieves; phalam—result.

TRANSLATION

A materialistic person, thinking himself very advanced in intel-
ligence, continually acts for economic development. But again and
again, as enunciated in the Vedas, he is frustrated by material ac-
tivities, either in this life or in the next. Indeed, the results one
obtains are inevitably the opposite of those one desires.

PURPORT

No one has ever achieved the results he desired from material ac-
tivities. On the contrary, everyone has been frustrated again and again.
Therefore one must not waste his time in such material activities for sen-
sual pleasure, either in this life or in the next. So many nationalists,
economists and other ambitious persons have tried for happiness, in-
dividually or collectively, but history proves that they have all been frus-
trated. In recent history we have seen many political leaders work hard
for individual and collective economic development, but they have all
failed. This is the law of nature, as clearly explained in the next verse.

TEXT 42

Ta TAMA AKT BAT: |
AIMAEM «TNA: BATA: LAI

sukhaya duhkha-moksaya
sarnkalpa iha karminah

sadapnotihaya duhkham
anihayah sukhdurtah

sukhaéya—for achieving happiness by a so-called higher standard of
life; duhkha-moksadya—for becoming free from misery; sarkalpah—
the determination; iha—in this world; karminah—of the living entity
trying for economic development; sadéd—always; dapnoti—achieves;
ihaya—by activity or ambition; duwhkham—only unhappiness;
