tapo vidyÄ ca viprÄṇÄá¹
niḥśreyasa-kare ubhe
te eva durvinītasya
kalpete kartur anyathÄ
tapaḥ - austerities; vidyÄ - knowledge; ca - also; viprÄṇÄm - of the brÄhmaṇas; niḥśreyasa - of what is certainly very auspicious for upliftment; kare - are causes; ubhe - both of them; te - such austerity and knowledge; eva - indeed; durvinÄ«tasya - when such a person is an upstart; kalpete - become; kartuḥ - of the performer; anyathÄ - just the opposite.
It is said that a jewel is very valuable, but when it is on the hood of a serpent, it is dangerous despite its value. Similarly, when a materialistic nondevotee achieves great success in learning and austerity, that success is dangerous for all of society. So-called learned scientists, for example, invented atomic weapons that are dangerous for all humanity. It is therefore said, maṇinÄ bhÅ«á¹£itaḥ sarpaḥ kim asau na bhayaá¹…karaḥ. A serpent with a jewel on its hood is as dangerous as a serpent without such a jewel. DurvÄsÄ Muni was a very learned brÄhmaṇa equipped with mystic power, but because he was not a gentleman, he did not know how to use his power. He was therefore extremely dangerous. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is never inclined toward a dangerous person who uses his mystic power for some personal design. By the laws of nature, therefore, such misuse of power is ultimately dangerous not for society but for the person who misuses it.