किं दुरापं मयि प्रीते तथापि विबुधर्षभाः ।
मय्येकान्तमतिर्नान्यन्मत्तो वाञ्छति तत्त्ववित् ॥
न वेद कृपणः श्रेय आत्मनो गुणवस्तुदृक् ।
तस्य तानिच्छतो यच्छेद्यदि सोऽपि तथाविधः ॥
स्वयं निःश्रेयसं विद्वान्न वक्त्यज्ञाय कर्म हि ।
न राति रोगिणोऽपथ्यं वाञ्छतोऽपि भिषक्तमः ॥
kiṁ durāpaṁ mayi prīte tathāpi vibudharṣabhāḥ |
mayy ekānta-matir nānyan matto vāñchati tattva-vit ||
na veda kṛpaṇaḥ śreya ātmano guṇa-vastu-dṛk |
tasya tān icchato yacched yadi so’pi tathā-vidhaḥ ||
svayaṁ niḥśreyasaṁ vidvān na vakty ajñāya karma hi |
na rāti rogiṇo’pathyaṁ vāñchato’pi bhiṣaktamaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.9.47–49)
“[Bhagavān Viṣṇu:] O best of the devatās! What is difficult to attain when I am pleased? [Nothing]. Still, a knower of the essence—one whose mind is one-pointed upon me—does not desire anything other than me. A pitiable seer of substance in [worldly] objects does not understand his own good. If at will someone shall give those [i.e., essenceless worldly objects] to him, [then] he too is of such sort [i.e., then that giver of worldly objects is also ignorant just like the desirer of them is]. One who has knowledge of the highest good himself certainly does not speak of karma to one who is ignorant. An excellent doctor does not administer that which is unsalutary for a patient even if [the patient is] desirous [of that].”
Commentary
aho daurbhāgyaṁ mūrkhatā ca yuṣmākaṁ, anayā vidyayā māṁ stutvāpi bhaktiṁ na prārthayadhve ity āha—kim iti | yadyapi yūyaṁ mūrkhā viṣayān abhilaṣantaḥ sva-bhadrābhadraṁ na jānīthe, tad apy ahaṁ tu vijñas tān kathaṁ yuṣmabhyaṁ dadāmi? na hi mātā sutebhyaḥ sva-hastena viṣaṁ dadātīty āha—neti | guṇān viṣayān eva vastu puruṣārthaṁ paśyatīti sa ātmanaḥ śreyo na veda | tasya tasmai tān eva yo vijño’pi yacchet, so’pi ajña eva | karma na vakti pravṛtti-mārgaṁ nopadiśati, apathyaṁ yathā na rāti na dadāti bhiṣaktamaḥ sad-vaidyaḥ |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“‘Aho! What misfortune and foolishness you all have! Even after praising me with such knowledge, you do not pray for bhakti [and instead seek only that I kill someone you perceive to be an enemy].’ Thus, Śrī Bhagavān says kim … [i.e., he speaks SB 6.9.47]. ‘Although all of you fools, desirous of objects of the senses, do not understood good and bad for yourselves, still how can I, who am well aware [of that], give those to you all? It is certainly not that a mother gives poison to her sons with her own hands.’ Thus, Śrī Bhagavān says na … [i.e., he speaks SB 6.9.48] ‘Because one sees substance (vastu), that is, the aim of an embodied being (puruṣārtha), only in objects of the senses (guṇa), one does not understand his own good. One who, although well aware [of what is worthy of being the aim of an embodied being (puruṣārtha)], shall give those to him is certainly also ignorant. [One who has knowledge of the highest good himself] Does not speak of karma, that is, does not teach the path of engagement (pravṛtti) [i.e., advise someone who is ignorant to follow the path of karma], just as an excellent doctor (bhiṣaktamaḥ) does not administer (rāti) that which is unsalutary [for a patient even if the patient is] desirous of that].’”