Shloka 9
The Brāhmaṇas’ Wives Blessed (Brāhmaṇa-patnī-prasāda) — Ritualism Humbled by Bhakti
इति ते भगवद्याच्ञां शृण्वन्तोऽपि न शुश्रुवु: । क्षुद्राशा भूरिकर्माणो बालिशा वृद्धमानिन: ॥ ९ ॥
iti te bhagavad-yācñāṁ śṛṇvanto ’pi na śuśruvuḥ kṣudrāśā bhūri-karmāṇo bāliśā vṛddha-māninaḥ
Though they heard this supplication connected with the Supreme Lord, they did not heed it. Filled with petty desires and entangled in elaborate rituals, they imagined themselves advanced in Vedic learning, yet were in truth inexperienced fools.
These childish brāhmaṇas were full of petty desires, such as the desire to attain to material heaven, and therefore they could not recognize the golden transcendental opportunity offered them by the arrival of Kṛṣṇa’s personal boyfriends. Presently, throughout the world, people are madly pursuing material advancement and thus cannot hear the message of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa that is being broadcast through the missionary activities of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Times have hardly changed, and proud, materialistic priests are still prevalent on the earth.
FAQs
Because they were absorbed in fruitive ritual work and petty expectations, they heard the message yet failed to truly heed the Lord’s desire—showing how pride and karma-kāṇḍa can block bhakti.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks this to King Parīkṣit, describing the mentality of the brāhmaṇas who refused the Lord’s request.
It warns against being busy with religious “activity” while missing devotion—practice humility, listen attentively to divine instruction, and prioritize loving service over prestige or mere formality.