vyÄdha kahe, — 'dhanuka bhÄá¹…gile vartiba kemane?'
nÄrada kahe, — 'Ämi anna diba prati-dine'
vyÄdha kahe - the hunter replied; dhanuka bhÄá¹…gile - if I break my bow; vartiba kemane - what will be the source of my maintenance; nÄrada kahe - NÄrada Muni replied; Ämi - I; anna - food; diba - shall supply; prati-dine - every day.
“The hunter replied, ‘If I break my bow, how shall I maintain myself?’
“NÄrada Muni replied, ‘Do not worry. I shall supply all your food every day.’
The source of our income is not actually the source of our maintenance. Every living being — from the great BrahmÄ down to an insignificant ant — is being maintained by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Eko bahÅ«nÄá¹ yo vidadhÄti kÄmÄn. The one Supreme Being, Kṛṣṇa, maintains everyone. Our so-called source of income is our own choice only. If I wish to be a hunter, it will appear that hunting is the source of my maintenance. If I become a brÄhmaṇa and completely depend on Kṛṣṇa, I do not conduct a business, but nonetheless my maintenance is supplied by Kṛṣṇa. The hunter was disturbed about breaking his bow because he was worried about his income. NÄrada Muni assured the hunter because he knew that the hunter was not being maintained by the bow but by Kṛṣṇa. Being the agent of Kṛṣṇa, NÄrada Muni knew very well that the hunter would not suffer by breaking the bow. There was no doubt that Kṛṣṇa would supply him food.
