Text 68
aho me paśyatāpāyam
alpa-puṇyasya durmateḥ
atṛptasyākṛtārthasya
gṛhas trai-vargiko hataḥ
aho — alas; me — my; paśyata — just see; apāyam — the destruction; alpa-puṇyasya — of him whose pious credit has been insufficient; durmateḥ — unintelligent; atṛptasya — unsatisfied; akṛta-arthasya — of him who has not fulfilled the purpose of his life; gṛhaḥ — the family life; trai-vargikaḥ — comprising the three aims of civilized existence (religiosity, economic development and sense gratification); hataḥ — ruined.
The male pigeon said: Alas, just see how I am now destroyed! I am obviously a great fool, for I did not properly execute pious activities. I could not satisfy myself, nor could I fulfill the purpose of life. My dear family, which was the basis of my religiosity, economic development and sense gratification, is now hopelessly ruined.
Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that the word atṛptasya indicates that the pigeon was not satisfied with the sense gratification he had achieved. Although he was completely attached to his wife, children and nest, he could not sufficiently enjoy them since there is ultimately no satisfaction in such things. Akṛtārthasya indicates that his hopes and dreams for future expansion of his sense gratification were now also ruined. People commonly refer to their “home, sweet home” as their nest, and money put aside for future sense gratification is called a nest egg. Therefore, all of the love birds of the material world should clearly note how their so-called wife, children and fortune will all be dragged away in the hunter’s net. In other words, death will finish everything.