SB 5.14.14
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 14
- yadā tu para-bādhayāndha
- ātmane nopanamati tadā hi
- pitṛ-putra-barhiṣmataḥ
- pitṛ-putrān vā sa khalu bhakṣayati
SYNONYMS
yadā — when; tu — but (because of misfortune); para-bādhayā — in spite of exploiting all others; andhaḥ — blind; ātmane — for himself; na upanamati — does not fall into one's share; tadā — at that time; hi — certainly; pitṛ-putra — of the father or sons; barhiṣmataḥ — as insignificant as a piece of grass; pitṛ-putrān — father or sons; vā — or; saḥ — he (the conditioned soul); khalu — indeed; bhakṣayati — gives trouble to.
TRANSLATION
In this material world, when the conditioned soul cannot arrange for his own maintenance, despite exploiting others, he tries to exploit his own father or son, taking away that relative's possessions, although they may be very insignificant. If he cannot acquire things from his father, son or other relatives, he is prepared to give them all kinds of trouble.
PURPORT
Once we actually saw a distressed man steal ornaments from his daughter just to maintain himself. As the English proverb goes, necessity knows no law. When a conditioned soul needs something, he forgets his relationship with his relatives and exploits his own father or son. We also receive information from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that in this age of Kali the time is quickly approaching when a relative will kill another relative for a small farthing. Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, people will deteriorate further and further into a hellish condition wherein they will perform abominable acts.