Devanagari
गाधवारिचरास्तापमविन्दञ्छरदर्कजम् ।
यथा दरिद्र: कृपण: कुटुम्ब्यविजितेन्द्रिय: ॥ ३८ ॥
Verse text
gādha-vāri-carās tāpam
avindaṣ charad-arka-jam
yathā daridraḥ kṛpaṇaḥ
kuṭumby avijitendriyaḥ
Synonyms
gādha
—
vāri — carāḥ — those who were moving in shallow water
;
tāpam
—
suffering
;
avindan
—
experienced
;
śarat
—
arka — jam — due to the sun in the autumn season
;
yathā
—
as
;
daridraḥ
—
a poor person
;
kṛpaṇaḥ
—
miserly
;
kuṭumbī
—
absorbed in family life
;
avijita
—
indriyaḥ — who has not controlled the senses .
Translation
Just as a miserly, poverty-stricken person overly absorbed in family life suffers because he cannot control his senses, the fish swimming in the shallow water had to suffer the heat of the autumn sun.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Just as a miserly, poverty-stricken person overly absorbed in family life suffers because he cannot control his senses, the fish swimming in the shallow water had to suffer the heat of the autumn sun.
KB 10.20.38
Due to the reduced water and scorching heat from the sun in the autumn season, the small creatures living in small reservoirs of water are very much disturbed; they are exactly like uncontrolled persons who are always unhappy from being unable to enjoy life or maintain their family members.
Purport
Although, as described in the previous verse, unintelligent fish are not aware of the diminishing water, one may think these fish are still happy according to the old proverb “Ignorance is bliss.” But even the ignorant fish are scorched by the autumn sun. Similarly, although an attached family man may consider his ignorance of spiritual life blissful, he is constantly disturbed by the problems of family life, and, indeed, his uncontrolled senses lead him into a situation of unrelieved anguish.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
As one who has to support a large family suffers poverty, so the fish in scarce water must endure suffering of the sun’s heat. In the previous verse a wealthy family man was described whereas here the negative effects of a poor family man are described. Or this verse can be taken to describe the suffering of the attached family man described in the previous verse.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Though they do not know the water is evaporating they still are not happy though they do not have fear. Rather they suffer greatly. The heat from the autumn sun is intense. A man without money is troubled to earn money (kṛpaṇaḥ) because he must support his wife and sons with plenty of money. He is also afflicted with greed, or uncontrolled senses. Just as a fish suffers from heat the man suffers the three fold miseries.