Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 7.15.12

vidharmah para-dharmas ca

abhasa upama chalah

adharma-sakhah pancema

dharma-jno 'dharmavat tyajet

SYNONYMS

vidharmah -- irreligion; para-dharmah -- religious principles practiced by others; ca -- and; abhasah -- pretentious religious principles; upama -- principles that appear religious but are not; chalah -- a cheating religion; adharma-sakhah -- which are different branches of irreligion; panca -- five; imah -- these; dharma-jnah -- one who is aware of religious principles; adharma-vat -- accepting them as irreligious; tyajet -- should give up.

TRANSLATION

There are five branches of irreligion, appropriately known as irreligion [vidharma], religious principles for which one is unfit [para-dharma], pretentious religion [abhasa], analogical religion [upadharma] and cheating religion [chala-dharma]. One who is aware of real religious life must abandon these five as irreligious.

PURPORT

Any religious principles opposed to the principle of surrendering to the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, are to be considered religious principles of irregularity or cheating, and one who is actually interested in religion must give them up. One should simply follow the instructions of Krishna and surrender unto Him. To do this, of course, one needs very good intelligence, which may be awakened after many, many births through good association with devotees and the practice of Krishna consciousness. Everything but the principle of religion recommended by Krishna -- sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66] -- should be given up as irreligion.

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