SB 9.21.3 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

वियद्वित्तस्य ददतो लब्धं लब्धं बुभुक्षत: । निष्किञ्चनस्य धीरस्य सकुटुम्बस्य सीदत: ॥ ३ ॥ व्यतीयुरष्टचत्वारिंशदहान्यपिबत: किल । घृतपायससंयावं तोयं प्रातरुपस्थितम् ॥ ४ ॥ कृच्छ्रप्राप्तकुटुम्बस्य क्षुत्तृड्भ्यां जातवेपथो: । अतिथिर्ब्राह्मण: काले भोक्तुकामस्य चागमत् ॥ ५ ॥

Verse text

viyad-vittasya dadato labdhaṁ labdhaṁ bubhukṣataḥ niṣkiṣcanasya dhīrasya sakuṭumbasya sīdataḥ vyatīyur aṣṭa-catvāriṁśad ahāny apibataḥ kila ghṛta-pāyasa-saṁyāvaṁ toyaṁ prātar upasthitam kṛcchra-prāpta-kuṭumbasya kṣut-tṛḍbhyāṁ jāta-vepathoḥ atithir brāhmaṇaḥ kāle bhoktu-kāmasya cāgamat

Synonyms

viyat — vittasya — of Rantideva, who received things sent by providence, just as the cātaka bird receives water from the sky ; dadataḥ — who distributed to others ; labdham — whatever he got ; labdham — such gains ; bubhukṣataḥ — he enjoyed ; niṣkiṣcanasya — always penniless ; dhīrasya — yet very sober ; sa — kuṭumbasya — even with his family members ; sīdataḥ — suffering very much ; vyatīyuḥ — passed by ; aṣṭa — catvāriṁśat — forty-eight ; ahāni — days ; apibataḥ — without even drinking water ; kila — indeed ; ghṛta — pāyasa — food prepared with ghee and milk ; saṁyāvam — varieties of food grains ; toyam — water ; prātaḥ — in the morning ; upasthitam — arrived by chance ; kṛcchra — prāpta — undergoing suffering ; kuṭumbasya — whose family members ; kṣut — tṛḍbhyām — by thirst and hunger ; jāta — became ; vepathoḥ — trembling ; atithiḥ — a guest ; brāhmaṇaḥ — a brāhmaṇa ; kāle — just at that time ; bhoktu — kāmasya — of Rantideva, who desired to eat something ; ca — also ; āgamat — arrived there .

Translation

Rantideva never endeavored to earn anything. He would enjoy whatever he got by the arrangement of providence, but when guests came he would give them everything. Thus he underwent considerable suffering, along with the members of his family. Indeed, he and his family members shivered for want of food and water, yet Rantideva always remained sober. Once, after fasting for forty-eight days, in the morning Rantideva received some water and some foodstuffs made with milk and ghee, but when he and his family were about to eat, a brāhmaṇa guest arrived.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Rantideva accepted whatever he got by the arrangement of providence, but when guests came he would give them everything, though he desired to eat. Thus he underwent considerable suffering along with the members of his family. He remained calm though he was without anything. Once, after fasting for forty-eight days without water, in the morning Rantideva, his body trembling because of hunger and thirst, was about to take some water and some food made with milk and ghee, but when he and his family were about to eat, a brāhmaṇa guest arrived. Rantideva received his wealth (vitta) from the sky, without effort. This means he received whatever came by fate alone. Whatever came by that means he would give others in charity, even though he desired to eat.