SB 1.15.21 (1965)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT No. 21
Tad vai dhanusta ishavah sa ratho hayaste So'aham rathi nripatayo yata anamanti sarvam kshanena tad abhut asad ishena riktam Bhasmam hutam kuhakarabdham iva uptam ushyam.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS
Tad—the same, Vai—certainly, Dhanusta—the same bow, Ishavah—arrows, Sa—the very same, Ratho—the chariot, Hayaste—the very same horses, So'aham—I am the same Arjuna, Nripataya—all the kings, Anamanti—offered their respects, Sarvam—all, Kshanena—by a moment's notice, Tad—all those, Abhut—became, Asad—useless, Ishena—on account of the Lord, Riktam—being void, Bhasmam—ashes, Hutam—offering butter, Kuhakarabdham—money created by magical feats, Iva—like that, Uptam—seed, Ushyam—in the barren land.
TRANSLATION
I have got the very same Gandiba bow, the same arrows the same chariot drawn by the same horses and I use them as the same Arjuna whom all the kings offered their due respects. And in the absence of Lord Krishna all of them have become null and void in a moment's notice. It is exactly like offering clarified butter on the ashes, accumulating money by magic wand and sowing seeds in the barren land.
PURPORT
As we have discussed more than once one should not be puffed up by borrowed plumes. All energies and powers are derived from the Supreme source Lord Krishna and they act as long as He desires and stop to function as soon as He withdraws. As much as all electrical energies are received from the power house and as soon as power house stops supplying energy there is no more use of the bulbs and machine. In a moment's time such energies can be generated or withdrawn by the Supereme Will of the Lord. Material civilization without any connection with the blessing of the Lord is a childs play only. So long the parents allow the child to play it is alright. As soon as the parents withdraw the child has to stop it. Human civilization and all activities thereof must be dovetailed with the supereme blessings of the Lord and without His blessings all advancement of human civilization is like decoration of the dead body. It is said here that dead civilization and its activities are something like pouring clarified butter on the ashes, accumulating money by the magic wand and sowing seeds in barren land.