त्यक्त्वा स्वधर्मं चरणाम्बुजं हरे- र्भजन्नपक्वोऽथ पतेत्ततो यदि । यत्र क्व वाभद्रमभूदमुष्य किं को वार्थ आप्तोऽभजतां स्वधर्मत: ॥ १७ ॥
tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam harer bhajann apakvo ’tha patet tato yadi yatra kva vabhadram abhud amusya kim ko vartha apto ’bhajatam sva-dharmatah
- tyaktva
- having forsaken
- sva-dharmam
- one’s own occupational engagement
- carana-ambujam
- the lotus feet
- hareh
- of Hari (the Lord)
- bhajan
- in the course of devotional service
- apakvah
- immature
- atha
- for the matter of
- patet
- falls down
- tatah
- from that place
- yadi
- if
- yatra
- whereupon
- kva
- what sort of
- va
- or (used sarcastically)
- abhadram
- unfavorable
- abhut
- shall happen
- amusya
- of him
- kim
- nothing
- kah va arthah
- what interest
- aptah
- obtained
- abhajatam
- of the nondevotee
- sva-dharmatah
- being engaged in occupational service
One who has forsaken his material occupations to engage in the devotional service of the Lord may sometimes fall down while in an immature stage, yet there is no danger of his being unsuccessful. On the other hand, a nondevotee, though fully engaged in occupational duties, does not gain anything.