TEXT 24
evam kumuda-nirudho yah satavalso nama vatas tasya skandhebhyo nicinah payo-dadhi-madhu-ghrta-gudannady-ambara-sayyasanabharanadayah sarva eva kama-dugha nadah kumudagrat patantas tam uttarenelavrtam upayojayanti.
SYNONYMS
evamthus; kumuda-nirudhahhaving grown on Kumuda Mountain; yahthat; sata-valsah namathe tree named Satavalsa (because of having hundreds of trunks); vataha banyan tree; tasyaof it; skandhebhyahfrom the thick branches; nicinahflowing down; payahmilk; dadhiyogurt; madhuhoney; ghrtaclarified butter; gudamolasses; annafood grains; adiand so on; ambaraclothing; sayyabedding; asanasitting places; abharana-adayahcarrying ornaments and so on; sarveeverything; evacertainly; kama-dughahfulfilling all desires; nadahbig rivers; kumuda-agratfrom the top of Kumuda Mountain; patantahflowing; tamto that; uttarenaon the northern side; ilavrtamthe land known as Ilavrta-varsa; upayojayantigive happiness.
TRANSLATION
Similarly, on Kumuda Mountain there is a great banyan tree, which is called Satavalsa because it has a hundred main branches. From those branches come many roots, from which many rivers are flowing. These rivers flow down from the top of the mountain to the northern side of Ilavrta-varsa for the benefit of those who live there. Because of these flowing rivers, all the people have ample supplies of milk, yogurt, honey, clarified butter [ghee], molasses, food grains, clothes, bedding, sitting places and ornaments. All the objects they desire are sufficiently supplied for their prosperity, and therefore they are very happy.
PURPORT
The prosperity of humanity does not depend on a demoniac civilization that has no culture and no knowledge but has only gigantic skyscrapers and huge automobiles always rushing down the highways. The products of nature are sufficient. When there is a profuse supply of milk, yogurt, honey, food grains, ghee, molasses, dhotis, saris, bedding, sitting places and ornaments, the residents are actually opulent. When a profuse supply of water from the river inundates the land, all these things can be produced, and there will not be scarcity. This all depends, however, on the performance of sacrifice as described in the Vedic literature.
All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna is born of prescribed duties. These are the prescriptions given in Bhagavad-gita (3.14). If people follow these principles in full Krsna consciousness, human society will be prosperous, and they will be happy both in this life and in the next.
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