Devanagari
प्रवृत्तिलक्षणे निष्ठा पुमान् यर्हि गृहाश्रमे ।
स्वधर्मे चानुतिष्ठेत गुणानां समितिर्हि सा ॥ ८ ॥
Verse text
pravṛtti-lakṣaṇe niṣṭhā
pumān yarhi gṛhāśrame
sva-dharme cānu tiṣṭheta
guṇānāṁ samitir hi sā
Synonyms
pravṛtti
—
of the path of material enjoyment
;
lakṣaṇe
—
in that which is the symptom
;
niṣṭhā
—
dedication
;
pumān
—
a person
;
yarhi
—
when
;
gṛha
—
āśrame — in family life
;
sva
—
dharme — in prescribed duties
;
ca
—
and
;
anu
—
later
;
tiṣṭheta
—
he stands
;
guṇānām
—
of the modes of nature
;
samitiḥ
—
the combination
;
hi
—
indeed
;
sā
—
this .
Translation
When a man desires sense gratification, being attached to family life, and when he consequently becomes established in religious and occupational duties, the combination of the modes of nature is manifest.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
When a man desires sense gratification, because of being attached to family life, and when he consequently becomes established in religious and occupational duties, a mixture of the guṇas appears since that dharma is mixed with sattva, rajas and tamas.
Contact with the guṇas is again explained. When a person is fixed in kāmya-dharma and becomes fixed in household life, and is constantly performing daily and periodic duties, a mixture of the guṇas takes place because (hi) that dharma is mixed with rajas, tamas and sattva.
Purport
According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, religious duties performed for promotion to heaven are understood to be in the mode of passion, those performed to enjoy ordinary family life are in the mode of ignorance, and those performed selflessly to fulfill one’s occupational duty in the
varṇāśrama
system are in the mode of goodness. The Lord has thus explained how mundane religiosity is manifest within the modes of nature.