Shloka 10
Ṛṣabhadeva’s Indifference to Siddhis, Vigilance Toward the Mind, and the Kali-yuga Rise of Anti-Vedic धर्म
येन ह वाव कलौ मनुजापसदा देवमायामोहिता: स्वविधिनियोगशौचचारित्रविहीना देवहेलनान्यपव्रतानि निजनिजेच्छया गृह्णाना अस्नानानाचमनाशौचकेशोल्लुञ्चनादीनि कलिनाधर्मबहुलेनोपहतधियो ब्रह्मब्राह्मणयज्ञपुरुषलोकविदूषका: प्रायेण भविष्यन्ति ॥ १० ॥
yena ha vāva kalau manujāpasadā deva-māyā-mohitāḥ sva-vidhi-niyoga-śauca-cāritra-vihīnā deva-helanāny apavratāni nija-nijecchayā gṛhṇānā asnānānācamanāśauca-keśolluñcanādīni kalinādharma-bahulenopahata-dhiyo brahma-brāhmaṇa-yajña-puruṣa-loka-vidūṣakāḥ prāyeṇa bhaviṣyanti.
People who are lowest among men and bewildered by the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord will give up the original varṇāśrama-dharma and its rules and regulations. They will abandon bathing three times daily and worshiping the Lord. Abandoning cleanliness and neglecting the Supreme Lord, they will accept nonsensical principles. Not regularly bathing or washing their mouths regularly, they will always remain unclean, and they will pluck out their hair. Following a concocted religion, they will flourish. During this Age of Kali, people are more inclined to irreligious systems. Consequently these people will naturally deride Vedic authority, the followers of Vedic authority, the brāhmaṇas, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the devotees.
Presently the hippies in the Western countries fit this description. They are irresponsible and unregulated. They do not bathe, and they deride standard Vedic knowledge. They concoct new lifestyles and religions. There are many hippie groups at the present moment, but they all originated from King Arhat, who imitated the activities of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, who was situated on the paramahaṁsa stage. King Arhat did not care for the fact that although Lord Ṛṣabhadeva acted like a madman His stool and urine were nonetheless aromatic, so much so that they nicely scented the countryside for miles around. The followers of King Arhat went under the name Jains, and they were later followed by many others, particularly by the hippies, who are more or less offshoots of Māyāvāda philosophy because they think themselves the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such people do not respect the real followers of Vedic principles, the ideal brāhmaṇas. Nor do they have respect for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Brahman. Due to the influence of this Age of Kali, they are apt to concoct false religious systems.
FAQs
This verse says that in Kali-yuga many people become deluded by māyā, abandon prescribed duties, purity, and good conduct, and adopt irreligious practices while ridiculing the Vedas, brāhmaṇas, sacrifice, and the Supreme Lord.
Ṛṣabhadeva was instructing his sons on dharma and spiritual seriousness, warning them that future society would be overrun by irreligion and disrespect for sacred principles, so they should remain steadfast in purity and devotion.
Maintain personal purity, disciplined conduct, and respect for sacred learning and genuine spiritual teachers; avoid adopting spiritual practices merely by trend or whim, and keep devotion centered on the Supreme Person.