Shloka 19
Karmic Aspirations, Demigod Worship, and the Supreme Duty of Bhakti
Hari-kathā as Life’s True Gain
श्वविड्वराहोष्ट्रखरै: संस्तुत: पुरुष: पशु: । न यत्कर्णपथोपेतो जातु नाम गदाग्रज: ॥ १९ ॥
śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ na yat-karṇa-pathopeto jātu nāma gadāgrajaḥ
Menschen wie Hunde, Schweine, Kamele und Esel preisen jenen Menschen, der in Wahrheit ein Tier ist, weil er niemals den Namen und die Līlā von Gada-graja, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, an sein Ohr gelangen lässt.
The general mass of people, unless they are trained systematically for a higher standard of life in spiritual values, are no better than animals, and in this verse they have particularly been put on the level of dogs, hogs, camels and asses. Modern university education practically prepares one to acquire a doggish mentality with which to accept the service of a greater master. After finishing a so-called education, the so-called educated persons move like dogs from door to door with applications for some service, and mostly they are driven away, informed of no vacancy. As dogs are negligible animals and serve the master faithfully for bits of bread, a man serves a master faithfully without sufficient rewards.
FAQs
This verse teaches that real human dignity begins when the Lord’s name enters one’s ears; without hearing His name, even social praise is compared to animal admiration and has no spiritual value.
Śukadeva emphasizes to Parīkṣit Mahārāja that worldly acclaim from materially minded people is meaningless if it is not connected to hearing and glorifying the Supreme Lord.
Choose daily śravaṇam—listen to Bhagavatam, kīrtana, or the Lord’s names—and measure success by growth in devotion rather than by social approval or online praise.