184 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 8, Ch. 22

TRANSLATION

If a human being is born in an aristocratic family or a higher
status of life, if he performs wonderful activities, if he is youthful,
if he has personal beauty, a good education and good wealth, and if
he is nonetheless not proud of his opulences, it is to be understood
that he is especially favored by the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.

PURPORT

When in spite of possessing all these opulences a person is not proud,
this means that he is fully aware that all his opulences are due to the
mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He therefore engages all
his possessions in the service of the Lord. A devotee knows very well that
everything, even his body, belongs to the Supreme Lord. If one lives per-
fectly in such Krsna consciousness, it is to be understood that he is es-
pecially favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The conclusion
is that one’s being deprived of his wealth is not to be considered the
special mercy of the Lord. If one continues in his opulent position but
does not become unnecessarily proud, falsely thinking that he is the
proprietor of everything, this is the Lord’s special mercy.

TEXT 27
AAA AAA AAT! |
MAUNA FI FAA AIT lll

mana-stambha-nimittanam
Janmddinam samantatah
sarva-sreyah-pratipanam
hanta muhyen na mat-parah

mana—of false prestige; stambha—because of this impudence;
nimitténdm—which are the causes; janma-Gdindm—such as birth in a
high family; samantatah—taken together; sarva-sreyah—for the
supreme benefit of life; pratipanadm—which are impediments; hanta—
also; muhyet—becomes bewildered; na—not; mat-parah—My pure
devotee.
