CC Madhya 22.26

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, Chapter 22: The Process of Devotional Service

CC Madhya 22.25

CC Madhya 22.27

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

TEXT 26

cāri varṇāśramī yadi kṛṣṇa nāhi bhaje
svakarma karite se raurave paḍi’ maje

SYNONYMS

cāri varṇa-āśramī—followers of the four social and spiritual orders of life; yadi—if; kṛṣṇa—Lord Kṛṣṇa; nāhi—not; bhaje—serve; sva-karma karite—performing his duty in life; se—that person; raurave—in a hellish condition; paḍi’—falling down; maje—becomes immersed.

TRANSLATION

“The followers of the varṇāśrama institution accept the regulative principles of the four social orders [brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra] and four spiritual orders [brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa]. However, if one carries out the regulative principles of these orders but does not render transcendental service to Kṛṣṇa, he falls into a hellish condition of material life.

PURPORT

One may be a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra, or one may perfectly follow the spiritual principles of brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa, but ultimately one falls down into a hellish condition unless one becomes a devotee. Without developing one’s dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one cannot be factually elevated. The regulative principles of varṇāśrama-dharma in themselves are insufficient for attainment of the highest perfection. That is confirmed in the following two quotations from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (SB 11.5.2-3).