---json
{
    "name":"SB 9.4.15-16",
    "h1":"SB 9.4.15-16",
    "label":"Text 15-16",
    "title":"Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 9.4.15-16",
    "description":"Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, the most fortunate personality, achieved the rule of the entire world, consisting of seven islands, and achieved inexhaustible, unlimited opulence and prosperity on earth. Although such a position is rarely obtained, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa did not care for it at all, for he knew very well that all such opulence is material. Like that which is imagined in a dream, such opulence will ultimately be destroyed. The King knew that any nondevotee who attains such opulence merges increasingly into material nature's mode of darkness."
}
---

====== SB 9.4.15-16 ======

===== Text =====

> śrī-śuka uvāca
> ambarīṣo mahā-bhāgaḥ
> sapta-dvīpavatīṁ mahīm
> avyayāṁ ca śriyaṁ labdhvā
> vibhavaṁ cātulaṁ bhuvi
>
> mene 'tidurlabhaṁ puṁsāṁ
> sarvaṁ tat svapna-saṁstutam
> vidvān vibhava-nirvāṇaṁ
> tamo viśati yat pumān

===== Synonyms =====

[[synonyms:ś:śrī]]-[[synonyms:ś:śukaḥ]] [[synonyms:u:uvāca]]---Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; [[synonyms:a:ambarīṣaḥ]]---King Ambarīṣa; [[synonyms:m:mahā]]-[[synonyms:b:bhāgaḥ]]---the greatly fortunate king; [[synonyms:s:sapta]]-[[synonyms:d:dvīpavatīm]]---consisting of seven islands; [[synonyms:m:mahīm]]---the whole world; [[synonyms:a:avyayām]] [[synonyms:c:ca]]---and inexhaustible; [[synonyms:ś:śriyam]]---beauty; [[synonyms:l:labdhvā]]---after achieving; [[synonyms:v:vibhavam]] [[synonyms:c:ca]]---and opulences; [[synonyms:a:atulam]]---unlimited; [[synonyms:b:bhuvi]]---in this earth; [[synonyms:m:mene]]---he decided; [[synonyms:a:ati]]-[[synonyms:d:durlabham]]---which is rarely obtained; [[synonyms:p:puṁsām]]---of many persons; [[synonyms:s:sarvam]]---everything (he had obtained); [[synonyms:t:tat]]---that which; [[synonyms:s:svapna]]-[[synonyms:s:saṁstutam]]---as if imagined in a dream; [[synonyms:v:vidvān]]---completely understanding; [[synonyms:v:vibhava]]-[[synonyms:n:nirvāṇam]]---the annihilation of that opulence; [[synonyms:t:tamaḥ]]---ignorance; [[synonyms:v:viśati]]---fallen into; [[synonyms:y:yat]]---because of which; [[synonyms:p:pumān]]---a person.

===== Translation =====

**Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, the most fortunate personality, achieved the rule of the entire world, consisting of seven islands, and achieved inexhaustible, unlimited opulence and prosperity on earth. Although such a position is rarely obtained, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa did not care for it at all, for he knew very well that all such opulence is material. Like that which is imagined in a dream, such opulence will ultimately be destroyed. The King knew that any nondevotee who attains such opulence merges increasingly into material nature's mode of darkness.**

===== Purport =====

For a devotee material opulence is insignificant, whereas for a nondevotee material opulence is the cause of increasing bondage, for a devotee knows that anything material is temporary, whereas a nondevotee regards the temporary so-called happiness as everything and forgets the path of self-realization. Thus for the nondevotee material opulence is a disqualification for spiritual advancement.