Text 15] —_ Instructions for Civilized Human Beings 213

dharmartham api neheta
yatrartham védhano dhanam
anihanihamanasya
mahaher iva vrttida

dharma-artham—in religion or economic development; api—indeed;
na—not; iheta—should try to obtain; ydtrd-artham—just to maintain
the body and soul together; va—either; adhanah—one who has no
wealth; dhanam—money; aniha—the desirelessness; anthamanasya —
of a person who does not endeavor even to earn his livelihood; maha-
aheh—the great serpent known as the python; iva—like; vrtti-da—
which obtains its livelihood without endeavor.

TRANSLATION

Even if a man is poor, he should not endeavor to improve his
economic condition just to maintain his body and soul together or
to become a famous religionist. Just as a great python, although
lying in one place, not endeavoring for its livelihood, gets the food
it needs to maintain body and soul, one who is desireless also ob-
tains his livelihood without endeavor.

PURPORT

Human life is simply meant for developing Krsna consciousness. One
need not even try to earn a livelihood to maintain body and soul together.
This is illustrated here by the example of the great python, which lies in
one place, never going here and there to earn a livelihood to maintain it-
self, and yet is maintained by the grace of the Lord. As advised by
Narada Muni (Bhag. 1.5.18), tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovidah: one
should simply endeavor to increase his Krsna consciousness. One should
not desire to do anything else, even to earn his livelihood. There are
many, many examples of this attitude. Madhavendra Puri, for instance,
would never go to anyone to ask for food. Sukadeva Gosvami has also
said, kasméd bhajanti kavayo dhana-durmadandhan. Why should one
approach a person who is blind with wealth? Rather, one should depend
on Krsna, and He will give everything. All the members of our Krsna
consciousness movement, whether they be grhasthas or sannyasis,
