Asnehadīpana nyāyaḥ (lamp without an oil)
A gorgeous golden lamp was purchased by a self-complacent poser. He spent all his money for that just to show off, so much so that he had no money left to buy oil to light a flame in it.
The only reason for everyone here to be, here means in this world of temporality, is to show one's own great self-esteem in whatever way possible. For this reason, this simple example of an expensive lamp is used. The essence, what makes the lamp to be called a lamp, is oil, which can burn to give light and heat. People are building big wonders of the world mostly because they want to challenge others' greatness, and to challenge the greatness of Vishnu, of which they don't compare even up to the tip of his toenail, which is more gorgeous and beautiful than all the beauty of this world summed up. Anyway, the purpose of it is to add some practicality to Godless enjoyment. As a matter of fact, men-build wonders are dissolved by the power of time as they do not possess the necessary energy to maintain them for a longer span of time. Thus their ostentatious glory vanishes in due course of time. In all of this, they are missing the essential ingredient, like oil in the lamp, in all their efforts, which is the service attitude towards Vishnu. He gives life and inspiration to one and all. Men lost that clue a long time ago. They perform so many wonderful feats but are missing the substance. Intelligent men use their energy for constructing or performing something most wonderful for the glory of Vishnu, instead of for their own glory. There are plenty of examples of it. In such cases, the essence is preserved, which is most important, though the external manifestation comes and goes.
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