Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 72
Nārada’s Instructions: Śrāddha, True Dharma, Contentment, Yoga, and Devotion-Centered Renunciation
अहं च गायंस्तद्विद्वान् स्त्रीभि: परिवृतो गत: । ज्ञात्वा विश्वसृजस्तन्मे हेलनं शेपुरोजसा । याहि त्वं शूद्रतामाशु नष्टश्री: कृतहेलन: ॥ ७२ ॥
ahaṁ ca gāyaṁs tad-vidvān strībhiḥ parivṛto gataḥ jñātvā viśva-sṛjas tan me helanaṁ śepur ojasā yāhi tvaṁ śūdratām āśu naṣṭa-śrīḥ kṛta-helanaḥ
Als ich zu jenem Fest eingeladen war, ging auch ich hin und begann, von Frauen umringt, musikalisch die Herrlichkeiten der Devas zu besingen. Als die Prajāpatis Viśvasṛj meine Respektlosigkeit erkannten, verfluchten sie mich mit Nachdruck: „Wegen deiner Verfehlung werde sogleich ein Śūdra und verliere deine Schönheit!“
As far as kīrtana is concerned, the śāstras say, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ: one should chant the glories of the Supreme Lord and the holy name of the Supreme Lord. This is clearly stated. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ: one should chant about and glorify Lord Viṣṇu, not any demigod. Unfortunately, there are foolish persons who invent some process of kīrtana on the basis of a demigod’s name. This is an offense. Kīrtana means glorifying the Supreme Lord, not any demigod. Sometimes people invent Kālī-kīrtana or Śiva-kīrtana, and even big sannyāsīs in the Māyāvāda school say that one may chant any name and still get the same result. But here we find that millions and millions of years ago, when Nārada Muni was a Gandharva, he neglected the order to glorify the Lord, and being mad in the association of women, he began to chant otherwise. Thus he was cursed to become a śūdra. His first offense was that he went to join the saṅkīrtana party in the company of lusty women, and another offense was that he considered ordinary songs, like cinema songs and other such songs, to be equal to saṅkīrtana. For this offense he was punished with becoming a śūdra.
FAQs
This verse teaches that mockery or disrespect toward exalted beings (like the viśva-sṛjas/Prajāpatis) brings swift karmic reaction—loss of one’s splendor and a fall in status—highlighting the seriousness of aparādha.
He cites it as a cautionary example: even if one “knows better,” indulgent, careless behavior and disrespect toward the great can lead to degradation, so one should live with restraint and reverence.
Practice humility and respectful speech, avoid ridiculing sincere spiritual practitioners, and keep good association—because arrogance and mockery damage character and derail one’s higher goals.