yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam
SYNONYMS
saḥ—that conditioned soul; yadā—when; dugdha—exhausted; pūrva—previous; sukṛtaḥ—pious activities; tadā—at that time; kāraskara-kākatuṇḍa-ādi—named kāraskara, kākatuṇḍa, etc.; apuṇya-druma-latā—impious trees and creepers; viṣa-uda-pāna-vat—like wells with poisonous water; ubhaya-artha-śūnya—which cannot give happiness either in this life or in the next; draviṇān—those who possess wealth; jīvat-mṛtān—who are dead, although apparently alive; svayam—he himself; jīvat—living; mriyamāṇaḥ—being dead; upadhāvati—approaches for material acquisition.
TRANSLATION
Due to his pious activities in previous lives, the conditioned soul attains material facilities in this life, but when they are finished, he takes shelter of wealth and riches, which cannot help him in this life or the next. Because of this, he approaches the living dead who possess these things. Such people are compared to impure trees, creepers and poisonous wells.
PURPORT
The wealth and riches acquired through previous pious activities should not be misused for sense gratification. Enjoying them for sense gratification is like enjoying the fruits of a poisonous tree. Such activities will not help the conditioned soul in any way, neither in this life nor the next. However, if one engages his possessions in the service of the Lord under the guidance of a proper spiritual master. he will attain happiness both in this life and the next. Unless he does so, he eats a forbidden apple and thereby loses his paradise. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa therefore advises that one's possessions should be given unto Him.
yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam