avantiṣu dvijaḥ kaścid
āsīd āḍhyatamaḥ śriyā
vārtā-vṛttiḥ kadaryas tu
kāmī lubdho 'ti-kopanaḥ
avantishu -- in the Avanti country; dvijah -- brahmana; kascit -- a certain; asit -- there was; adhya-tamah -- very rich; sriya -- with opulences; varta -- by business; vrittih -- earning his livelihood; kadaryah -- miserly; tu -- but; kami -- lusty; lubdhak -- greedy; ati-kopanah -- very prone to anger.
In the country of Avanti there once lived a certain brahmana who was very rich and gifted with all opulences, and who was engaged in the occupation of commerce. But he was a miserly person -- lusty, greedy and very prone to anger.
According to Srila Sridhara Svami, the Avanti country is the district of Malwa. This brahmana was extremely wealthy, doing business in agriculture, banking and so on. Being a miser, he suffered agony when his hard-earned wealth was lost, as will be described by the Lord Himself.
