Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 7.15.38-39

grihasthasya kriya-tyago

vrata-tyago vatorapi

tapasvino grama-seva

bhikshor indriya-lolata

asramapasada hy ete

khalv asrama-vidambanah

deva-maya-vimudhams tan

upekshetanukampaya

SYNONYMS

grihasthasya -- for a person situated in householder life; kriya-tyagah -- to give up the duty of a householder; vrata-tyagah -- to give up vows and austerity; vatoh -- for a brahmacari; api -- also; tapasvinah -- for a vanaprastha, one who has adopted a life of austerities; grama-seva -- to live in a village and serve the people therein; bhikshoh -- for a sannyasi who lived by begging alms; indriya-lolata -- addicted to sense enjoyment; asrama -- of the spiritual orders of life; apasadah -- the most abominable; hi -- indeed; ete -- all these; khalu -- indeed; asrama-vidambanah -- imitating and therefore cheating the different spiritual orders; deva-maya-vimudhan -- who are bewildered by the external energy of the Supreme Lord; tan -- them; upeksheta -- one should reject and not accept as genuine; anukampaya -- or by compassion (teach them real life).

TRANSLATION

It is abominable for a person living in the grihastha-asrama to give up the regulative principles, for a brahmacari not to follow the brahmacari vows while living under the care of the guru, for a vanaprastha to live in the village and engage in so-called social activities, or for a sannyasi to be addicted to sense gratification. One who acts in this way is to be considered the lowest renegade. Such a pretender is bewildered by the external energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and one should either reject him from any position, or taking compassion upon him, teach him, if possible, to resume his original position.

PURPORT

We have repeatedly stressed that human culture does not begin unless one takes to the principles of varnasrama-dharma. Although grihastha life is a concession for the enjoyment of sex, one cannot enjoy sex without following the rules and regulations of householder life. Furthermore, as already instructed, a brahmacari must live under the care of the guru: brahmacari guru-kule vasan danto guror hitam [SB 7.12.1]. If a brahmacari does not live under the care of the guru, if a vanaprastha engages in ordinary activities, or if a sannyasi is greedy and eats meat, eggs and all kinds of nonsense for the satisfaction of his tongue, he is a cheater and should immediately be rejected as unimportant. Such persons should be shown compassion, and if one has sufficient strength one should teach them to stop them from following the wrong path in life. Otherwise one should reject them and pay them no attention.

<<< >>>

Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness