सन्तोषामृतपानेन ये शान्तास्तृप्तिमागताः । भोगश्रीरतुला तेषामेषा प्रतिविषायते ॥ ४ ॥
santōṣāmṛtapānēna yē śāntāstṛptimāgatāḥ | bhōgaśrīratulā tēṣāmēṣā prativiṣāyatē || 4 ||
Translation
For the peaceful who have come to fulfilment by drinking the nectar of contentment, this matchless wealth of enjoyments turns to poison.
Word by word
- santōṣa
- of contentment
- amṛta
- the nectar
- pānēna
- by drinking
- yē
- who
- śāntās
- (śāntāḥ) the peaceful
- tṛptim
- to fulfilment
- āgatāḥ
- have come
- bhōga
- of enjoyments
- śrīr
- (śrīḥ) wealth
- atulā
- matchless
- tēṣām
- for them
- ēṣā
- this
- prativiṣāyatē
- turns to poison
Meaning
The commentary: to those satisfied by that nectar, the incomparable riches of the senses seem hostile, like poison. This is not a rule that they must find pleasures bitter. It describes what happens to a taste once a better one is known. What once drew them now only threatens the rest they have found.