Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.17.20

aśaucam anritam steyam

nāstikyam śushka-vigrahah

kāmah krodhaś ca tarshaś ca

sa bhāvo 'ntyāvasāyinām

SYNONYMS

aśaucam — dirtiness; anritam — dishonesty; steyam — thievery; nāstikyam — faithlessness; śushka-vigrahah — useless quarreling; kāmah — lust; krodhah — anger; ca — also; tarshah — hankering; ca — also; sah — this; bhāvah — the nature; antya — in the lowest position; avasāyinām — of those residing.

TRANSLATION

Dirtiness, dishonesty, thievery, faithlessness, useless quarrel, lust, anger and hankering constitute the nature of those in the lowest position outside the varnāśrama system.

PURPORT

Here the Lord describes those who reside outside the scientific social system called varnāśrama. In Europe and America, we have practically observed that the standards of cleanliness are abominable even among so-called educated persons. Going without bathing and the use of indecent language are common. In the modern age people whimsically speak whatever they like, dispensing with all authority, and there is therefore very little truthfulness or true wisdom. Similarly, in both the capitalistic and communistic countries, everyone is busily engaged in stealing and robbing from everyone else in the name of business, taxation or outright crime. People are not confident of the kingdom of God nor of their own eternal nature, and thus their faith is very weak. Moreover, since modern human beings are not very interested in Krishna consciousness they constantly quarrel, bicker and fight over completely insignificant issues relating to the material body. Thus at the slightest provocation there are huge wars and massacres. Lust, anger and hankering have become practically unlimited in Kali-yuga. The symptoms and characteristics mentioned here can be abundantly observed throughout the world, wherever people have fallen away from the varnāśrama system. Because of sinful habits such as animal killing, illicit sex, intoxication and gambling, the great majority of human beings have become candālas, or untouchables.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
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