Text 17
yayā hi vidvān api muhyate yatas
tat ko vicaṣṭe gatim ātmano yathā
tasmai namas te jagad-īśvarāya vai
nārāyaṇāyākhila-loka-sākṣiṇe
yayā — by which material opulence; hi — indeed; vidvān api — even a person fortunately advanced in education; muhyate — becomes bewildered; yataḥ — self-controlled; tat — that; kaḥ — who; vicaṣṭe — can search for; gatim — the progress; ātmanaḥ — of the self; yathā — properly; tasmai — unto Him; namaḥ — I offer my respectful obeisances; te — unto You; jagat-īśvarāya — unto the Lord of the universe; vai — indeed; nārāyaṇāya — unto His Lordship Nārāyaṇa; akhila-loka-sākṣiṇe — who are the witness of all creation.
Material opulence is so bewildering that it makes even a learned, self-controlled man forget to search for the goal of self-realization. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, the Lord of the universe, can see everything by His will. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.
The words ko vicaṣṭe gatim ātmano yathā indicate that when one is puffed up by the false prestige of possessing material opulence, he certainly neglects the goal of self-realization. This is the position of the modern world. Because of so-called scientific improvements in material opulence, people have entirely given up the path of self-realization. Practically no one is interested in God, one’s relationship with God or how one should act. Modern men have altogether forgotten such questions because they are mad for material possessions. If this kind of civilization continues, the time will soon come when the Supreme Personality of Godhead will take away all the material opulences. Then people will come to their senses.