TEXT 13
nascaryam etad yad asatsu sarvada
mahad-vininda kunapatma-vadisu
sersyam mahapurusa-pada-pamsubhir
nirasta-tejahsu tad eva sobhanam
SYNONYMS
nanot; ascaryamwonderful; etatthis; yatwhich; asatsuevil; sarvadaalways; mahat-vinindathe deriding of great souls; kunapa-atma-vadisuamong those who have accepted the dead body as the self; sa-irsyamenvy; maha-purusaof great personalities; pada-pamsubhihby the dust of the feet; nirasta-tejahsuwhose glory is diminished; tatthat; evacertainly; sobhanamvery good.
TRANSLATION
It is not wonderful for persons who have accepted the transient material body as the self to engage always in deriding great souls. Such envy on the part of materialistic persons is very good because that is the way they fall down. They are diminished by the dust of the feet of great personalities.
PURPORT
Everything depends on the strength of the recipient. For example, due to the scorching sunshine many vegetables and flowers dry up, and many grow luxuriantly. Thus it is the recipient that causes growth and dwindling. Similarly, mahiyasam pada-rajo-bhisekam: the dust of the lotus feet of great personalities offers all good to the recipient, but the same dust can also do harm. Those who are offenders at the lotus feet of a great personality dry up; their godly qualities diminish. A great soul may forgive offenses, but Krsna does not excuse offenses to the dust of that great souls feet, just as one can tolerate the scorching sunshine on ones head but cannot tolerate the scorching sunshine on ones feet. An offender glides down more and more; therefore he naturally continues to commit offenses at the feet of the great soul. Offenses are generally committed by persons who falsely identify with the impermanent body. King Daksa was deeply engrossed in a misconception because he identified the body with the soul. He offended the lotus feet of Lord Siva because he thought that his body, being the father of the body of Sati, was superior to Lord Sivas. Generally, less intelligent men misidentify in that way, and they act in the bodily concept of life. Thus they are subject to commit more and more offenses at the lotus feet of great souls. One who has such a concept of life is considered to be in the class of animals like cows and asses.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/4/4/13

Previous: SB 4.4.12     Next: SB 4.4.14

If you Love Me Distribute My Books -- Srila Prabhupada