Text 43
yo vai vāṅ-manasī saṁyag
asaṁyacchan dhiyā yatiḥ
tasya vrataṁ tapo dānaṁ
sravaty āma-ghaṭāmbu-vat
yaḥ — one who; vai — certainly; vāk-manasī — the speech and mind; saṁyak — completely; asaṁyacchan — not controlling; dhiyā — by intelligence; yatiḥ — a transcendentalist; tasya — his; vratam — vows; tapaḥ — austerities; dānam — charity; sravati — run out; āma — unbaked; ghaṭa — in a pot; ambu-vat — like water.
A transcendentalist who does not completely control his words and mind by superior intelligence will find that his spiritual vows, austerities and charity flow away just as water flows out of an unbaked clay pot.
When a clay pot is properly baked it holds any liquid substance without leakage. If a clay pot is not properly baked, however, water or any other liquid within it will seep out and be lost. Similarly, a transcendentalist who does not control his speech and mind will find that his spiritual discipline and austerity gradually seep away and are lost. Dāna, or “charity,” refers to work performed for the welfare of others. Those who are trying to give the highest charity by preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness should not engage in speaking cleverly for the satisfaction of beautiful women, nor should they attempt to become artificially intellectual simply for the sake of mundane academic prestige. One should not even think of intimate sexual relationships, nor should one daydream of acquiring a prestigious position. Otherwise, one’s determination to strictly practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be lost, as described here. One must control the mind, senses and speech by higher intelligence so that one’s life will be successful.