nityÄrtidena vittena
durlabhenÄtma-má¹›tyunÄ
gá¹›hÄpatyÄpta-paÅ›ubhiḥ
kÄ prÄ«tiḥ sÄdhitaiÅ› calaiḥ

 nitya - constantly; Ärti-dena - giving pain; vittena - with wealth; durlabhena - hard to acquire; Ätma-má¹›tyunÄ - death for the self; gá¹›ha - with one's home; apatya - children; Äpta - relatives; paÅ›ubhiḥ - and domestic animals;  - what; prÄ«tiḥ - happiness; sÄdhitaiḥ - which are gained (by that wealth); calaiḥ - unsteady.


Text

Wealth is a perpetual source of distress, it is most difficult to acquire, and it is virtual death for the soul. What satisfaction does one actually gain from his wealth? Similarly, how can one gain ultimate or permanent happiness from one’s so-called home, children, relatives and domestic animals, which are all maintained by one’s hard-earned money?

Purport