यार्थशून्यद्रविणान् जीवन्मृतान् स्वयं जीवन्म्रियमाण उपधावति ॥१२॥
sa yadÄ dugdha-pÅ«rva-suká¹›tas tadÄ kÄraskara-kÄkatuṇá¸Ädy-apuṇya-druma-latÄ-viá¹£oda-pÄnavad ubhayÄrtha-śūnya-draviṇÄn jÄ«van-má¹›tÄn svayaá¹ jÄ«van-mriyamÄṇa upadhÄvati
saḥ - that conditioned soul; yadÄ - when; dugdha - exhausted; pÅ«rva - previous; suká¹›taḥ - pious activities; tadÄ - at that time; kÄraskara-kÄkatuṇá¸a-Ädi - named kÄraskara, kÄkatuṇá¸a, etc.; apuṇya-druma-latÄ - impious trees and creepers; viá¹£a-uda-pÄna-vat - like wells with poisonous water; ubhaya-artha-śūnya - which cannot give happiness either in this life or in the next; draviṇÄn - those who possess wealth; jÄ«vat-má¹›tÄn - who are dead, although apparently alive; svayam - he himself; jÄ«vat - living; mriyamÄṇaḥ - being dead; upadhÄvati - approaches for material acquisition.
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.
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.
yat karoá¹£i yad aÅ›nÄsi
yaj juhoá¹£i dadÄsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam
“O son of Kuntī, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.†(Bg. 9.27) Material wealth and opulence attained through previous pious activities can be fully utilized for one’s benefit in this life and the next if one is Kṛṣṇa conscious. One should not try to possess more than he needs for the bare necessities. If one gets more than is needed, the surplus should be fully engaged in the Lord’s service. That will make the conditioned soul, the world and Kṛṣṇa happy, and this is the aim of life.
