Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 4 Chapter 19 Verses 24-25

Canto 4: Creation of the Fourth Order | Chapter 19: King Pṛthu's One Hundred Horse Sacrifices

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.19.24-25

evam indre haraty aśvaḿ

vainya-yajña-jighāḿsayā

tad-gṛhīta-visṛṣṭeṣu

pākhaṇḍeṣu matir nṛṇām

dharma ity upadharmeṣu

nagna-rakta-paṭādiṣu

prāyeṇa sajjate bhrāntyā

peśaleṣu ca vāgmiṣu

SYNONYMS

evam — thus; indre — when the King of heaven; harati — stole; aśvam — the horse; vainya — of the son of King Vena; yajña — the sacrifice; jighāḿsayā — with a desire to stop; tat — by him; gṛhīta — accepted; visṛṣṭeṣu — abandoned; pākhaṇḍeṣu — towards the sinful dress; matiḥ — attraction; nṛṇām — of the people in general; dharmaḥ — system of religion; iti — thus; upadharmeṣu — towards false religious systems; nagna — naked; rakta-paṭa — red-robed; ādiṣu — etc.; prāyeṇa — generally; sajjate — is attracted; bhrāntyā — foolishly; peśaleṣu — expert; ca — and; vāgmiṣu — eloquent.

TRANSLATION

In this way, King Indra, in order to steal the horse from King Pṛthu's sacrifice, adopted several orders of sannyāsa. Some sannyāsīs go naked, and sometimes they wear red garments and pass under the name of kāpālika. These are simply symbolic representations of their sinful activities. These so-called sannyāsīs are very much appreciated by sinful men because they are all godless atheists and very expert in putting forward arguments and reasons to support their case. We must know, however, that they are only passing as adherents of religion and are not so in fact. Unfortunately, bewildered persons accept them as religious, and being attracted to them, they spoil their life.

PURPORT

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, men in this age of Kali are short-lived, devoid of spiritual knowledge, and susceptible to accept false religious systems due to their unfortunate condition. Thus they always remain mentally disturbed. The Vedic śāstras practically prohibit the adoption of sannyāsa in the age of Kali because less intelligent men may accept the sannyāsa order for cheating purposes. Actually the only religion is the religion of surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We must serve the Lord in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All other systems of sannyāsa and religion are actually not bona fide. In this age they are simply passing for religious systems. This is most regrettable.

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