SB 1.13.25 (1965)
TEXT No. 25
Tasya api taba deha ayam kripanasya jijivishoh Paraiti anichhato jeerno jaraya vasasi iva.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS
Tasya—of this, Api—inspite of, Taba—your, Deha—body, Ayam—this, Kripanasya—of one who is miserly, Jijivishoh—of you who desire life, Paraiti—will dwindle, Anichhato—even unwilling, Jeerno—deteriorated, Vasasi—garments, Iva—like.
TRANSLATION
Inspite of your such wishful desire for living even at the cost of honour and prestige your miserly body will certainly dwindle like the deteriorated old garment although you are unwilling to die.
PURPORT
The words Kripanasya jijivisho, are significant. There are two classes of men. One is called the 'Kripana' and the other is called the 'Brahmana'. The 'Kripana' or the miserly man has no estimation of his material body but the 'Brahmana' has a true estimation of of himself and the material body. The kripana having wrong estimation of his material body, wants to make sense-gratification to the utmost strength and even in old age also he wants to become a young man by medical treatment or otherwise. Dhritarastra is addressed herein as the Kripana because without any estimation of his material body he wants to live at any cost and Vidura is trying to open his eyes that he cannot live more than his term of living and he must be prepared for death. Death being inevitable why shonld he accept such humiliating positon for living, better take the right path even at the risk of death. Human life is meant for finishing all kinds of miseries of material existence and life should be so trained up as one can achieve the desired goal. Dhritarastra due to his wrong conception of life, had already spoiled 80% of his achieved energy and it was good for him to utilise the remaining days of his miserly life; it might be utilised for the ultimate good. Such life like that of Dhritarastra is called miserly because they cannot properly utilise the assets of the human form of life. Such miserly man by good luck only meets self-realised soul like Vidura and by his instruction get rid of the nescience of material existence.