Devanagari
तैर्वञ्चितो हंसकुलं समाविश-
न्नरोचयन् शीलमुपैति वानरान् ।
तज्जातिरासेन सुनिर्वृतेन्द्रिय:
परस्परोद्वीक्षणविस्मृतावधि: ॥ १७ ॥
Verse text
tair vaṣcito haṁsa-kulaṁ samāviśann
arocayan śīlam upaiti vānarān
taj-jāti-rāsena sunirvṛtendriyaḥ
parasparodvīkṣaṇa-vismṛtāvadhiḥ
Synonyms
taiḥ
—
by them (the cheaters and pretenders, the so-called yogīs, svāmīs, incarnations and gurus )
;
vaṣcitaḥ
—
being cheated
;
haṁsa
—
kulam — the association of great paramahaṁsas, or devotees
;
samāviśan
—
contacting
;
arocayan
—
not being satisfied with
;
śīlam
—
their behavior
;
upaiti
—
approaches
;
vānarān
—
the monkeys, which are all debauchees with no good character
;
tat
—
jāti — rāsena — by sense gratification in the association of such debauchees
;
sunirvṛta
—
indriyaḥ — being very satisfied with getting the opportunity of sense gratification
;
paraspara
—
of one another
;
udvīkṣaṇa
—
by seeing the faces
;
vismṛta
—
who has forgotten
;
avadhiḥ
—
the end of life .
Translation
Being cheated by them, the living entity in the forest of the material world tries to give up the association of these so-called yogīs, svāmīs and incarnations and come to the association of real devotees, but due to misfortune he cannot follow the instructions of the spiritual master or advanced devotees; therefore he gives up their company and again returns to the association of monkeys who are simply interested in sense gratification and women. He derives satisfaction by associating with sense gratifiers and enjoying sex and intoxication. In this way he spoils his life simply by indulging in sex and intoxication. Looking into the faces of other sense gratifiers, he becomes forgetful and thus approaches death.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Cheated by the cranes, he contacts a group of swans, but not satisfied with their behavior, approaches some monkeys. His senses joyful because of the pleasure arising from them, he gazes at their faces and forgets about death.
Understanding that they give no results, he goes to a group of brāhmaṇas, but is not satisfied with their rules for atonement and taking the sacred thread again. Not satisfied, he goes to some pretenders, almost śūdras, with fallen conduct. Satisfied with unrestricted association with women, eating and drinking, by looking at their faces he forgets that death is approaching.
Purport
Sometimes a foolish person becomes disgusted with bad association and comes to the association of devotees and
brāhmaṇas
and takes initiation from a spiritual master. As advised by the spiritual master, he tries to follow the regulative principles, but due to misfortune he cannot follow the instructions of the spiritual master. He therefore gives up the company of devotees and goes to associate with simian people who are simply interested in sex and intoxication. Those who are so-called spiritualists are compared to monkeys. Outwardly, monkeys sometimes resemble
sādhus
because they live naked in the forest and pick fruits, but their only desire is to keep many female monkeys and enjoy sex life. Sometimes so-called spiritualists seeking a spiritual life come to associate with Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees, but they cannot execute the regulative principles or follow the path of spiritual life. Consequently they leave the association of devotees and go to associate with sense gratifiers, who are compared to monkeys. Again they revive their sex and intoxication, and looking at one another’s faces, they are thus satisfied. In this way they pass their lives up to the point of death.