← Canto 7: The Science of God

Chapter 15: Instructions for Civilized Human Beings

Verse 38–39 of 75
SB 7.15.38-39

गृहस्थस्य क्रियात्यागो व्रतत्यागो वटोरपि तपस्विनो ग्रामसेवा भिक्षोरिन्द्रियलोलता आश्रमापसदा ह्येते खल्वाश्रमविडम्बनाः देवमायाविमूढांस्तानुपेक्षेतानुकम्पया

gṛhasthasya kriyā-tyāgo vrata-tyāgo vaṭor api tapasvino grāma-sevā bhikṣor indriya-lolatā āśramāpasadā hy ete khalv āśrama-viḍambanāḥ deva-māyā-vimūḍhāṁs tān upekṣetānukampayā

Synonyms

gṛhasthasyafor a person situated in householder life; kriyā-tyāgaḥto give up the duty of a householder; vrata-tyāgaḥto give up vows and austerity; vaṭoḥfor a brahmacārī; apialso; tapasvinaḥfor a vānaprastha, one who has adopted a life of austerities; grāma-sevāto live in a village and serve the people therein; bhikṣoḥfor a sannyāsī who lived by begging alms; indriya-lolatāaddicted to sense enjoyment; āśramaof the spiritual orders of life; apasadāḥthe most abominable; hiindeed; eteall these; khaluindeed; āśrama-viḍambanāḥimitating and therefore cheating the different spiritual orders; deva-māyā-vimūḍhānwho are bewildered by the external energy of the Supreme Lord; tānthem; upekṣetaone should reject and not accept as genuine; anukampayāor by compassion (teach them real life)..

Translation

It is abominable for a person living in the gṛhastha-āśrama to give up the regulative principles, for a brahmacārī not to follow the brahmacārī vows while living under the care of the guru, for a vānaprastha to live in the village and engage in so-called social activities, or for a sannyāsī 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 varṇāśrama-dharma. Although gṛhastha 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 brahmacārī must live under the care of the guru: brahmacārī guru-kule vasan dānto guror hitam [Bhag. 7.12.1]. If a brahmacārī does not live under the care of the guru, if a vānaprastha engages in ordinary activities, or if a sannyāsī 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.

Verse 38–39 of 75
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