SB 7.15.12

Srimad-Bhagavatam - Seventh Canto - Chapter 15: Instructions for Civilized Human Beings

SB 7.15.11 - SB 7.15.13

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

TEXT 12

vidharmaḥ para-dharmaś ca

ābhāsa upamā chalaḥ

adharma-śākhāḥ pañcemā

dharma-jño 'dharmavat tyajet

SYNONYMS

vidharmaḥ — irreligion; para-dharmaḥ — religious principles practiced by others; ca — and; ābhāsaḥ — pretentious religious principles; upamā — principles that appear religious but are not; chalaḥ — a cheating religion; adharma-śākhāḥ — which are different branches of irreligion; pañca — five; imāḥ — these; dharma-jñaḥ — 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 [ābhāsa], 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, Kṛṣṇa, 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 Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything but the principle of religion recommended by Kṛṣṇa —sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66) — should be given up as irreligion.

SB 7.15.11 - SB 7.15.13