| Canto 11: General History | Chapter 17: Lord Krishna's Description of the Varnāśrama System |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.17.9
varnāśramācāravatām
SYNONYMS
śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; dharmyah — faithful to religious principles; eshah — this; tava — your; praśnah — question; naihśreyasa-karah — the cause of pure devotional service; nrinām — for ordinary human beings; varna-āśrama — the varnāśrama system; ācāra-vatām — for those who faithfully follow; tam — those highest religious principles; uddhava — My dear Uddhava; nibodha — please learn; me — from Me.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, your question is faithful to religious principles and thus gives rise to the highest perfection in life, pure devotional service, for both ordinary human beings and the followers of the varnāśrama system. Now please learn from Me those supreme religious principles.
PURPORT
The word naihśreyasa-kara indicates that which awards the highest perfection of life, Krishna consciousness, which the Lord is explaining to Śrī Uddhava. When considering religious principles, ordinary human beings remain bogged down in sectarian mundane considerations. The process that awards the highest perfection of life should be considered the most auspicious for human beings. The varnāśrama system is the most scientific presentation of religiosity on the earth, and those who are most perfect in that system come to the point of Krishna consciousness, or dedicating everything for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord.
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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari