Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 7.15.14

yas tv icchaya kritah pumbhir

abhaso hy asramat prithak

sva-bhava-vihito dharmah

kasya neshtah prasantaye

SYNONYMS

yah -- that which; tu -- indeed; icchaya -- whimsically; kritah -- conducted; pumbhih -- by persons; abhasah -- dim reflection; hi -- indeed; asramat -- from one's own order of life; prithak -- different; sva-bhava -- according to one's own nature; vihitah -- regulated; dharmah -- religious principle; kasya -- in what respect; na -- not; ishtah -- capable; prasantaye -- for relieving all kinds of distress.

TRANSLATION

A pretentious religious system manufactured by one who willfully neglects the prescribed duties of his order of life is called abhasa [a dim reflection or false similarity]. But if one performs the prescribed duties for his particular asrama or varna, why are they not sufficient to mitigate all material distresses?

PURPORT

It is indicated here that everyone should strictly follow the principles of varna and asrama as given in the sastra. In the Vishnu Purana (3.8.9) it is said:

varnasramacaravata

purushena parah puman

vishnur aradhyate pantha

nanyat tat-tosha-karanam

One should focus upon the destination for progress, which is to become Krishna conscious. This is the aim and end of all varnas and asramas. However, if Vishnu is not worshiped, the followers of the varnasrama institution manufacture some concocted God. Thus it has now become fashionable for any rascal or fool to be elected God, and there are many missionaries who have concocted their own gods, giving up their relationship with the real God. In Bhagavad-gita it is clearly said that one who worships the demigods has lost his intelligence. Nonetheless we find that even an illiterate person who has lost all intelligence is elected God, and although he has a temple, it has meat-eating sannyasis, and many polluted activities go on there. This type of religious system, which misguides its poor followers, is strictly forbidden. Such pretentious religions should be stopped altogether.

The original system is that a brahmana should actually become a brahmana; he should not only take birth in a brahmana family, but must also be qualified. Also, even if one is not born in a brahmana family but has brahminical qualifications, he must be considered a brahmana. By strictly following this system, one can be happy without extra endeavor. Sva-bhava-vihito dharmah kasya neshtah prasantaye. The real aim of life is to mitigate distress, and one can do this very easily by following the principles of sastra.

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