Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 8
Nimi Questions the Yogendras: Varṇāśrama’s Purpose, Ritualism’s Fall, and Yuga-Avatāras with Kali-yuga Saṅkīrtana
वदन्ति तेऽन्योन्यमुपासितस्त्रियो गृहेषु मैथुन्यपरेषु चाशिष: । यजन्त्यसृष्टान्नविधानदक्षिणं वृत्त्यै परं घ्नन्ति पशूनतद्विद: ॥ ८ ॥
vadanti te ’nyonyam upāsita-striyo gṛheṣu maithunya-pareṣu cāśiṣaḥ yajanty asṛṣṭānna-vidhāna-dakṣiṇaṁ vṛttyai paraṁ ghnanti paśūn atad-vidaḥ
Mereka meninggalkan pemujaan kepada Tuhan dan seakan menyembah istri-istri mereka; rumah pun menjadi berpusat pada hubungan seksual. Para grihastha materialistis saling menyemangati perilaku itu. Mengira yajña sekadar untuk menopang tubuh, mereka melakukan upacara tak sah tanpa pembagian makanan dan tanpa dana, lalu dengan kejam menyembelih kambing dan hewan lain, tanpa memahami akibat gelapnya.
False pride is certainly not complete without sex indulgence. Thus, lusty materialistic householders are not attracted to worshiping saintly persons, but rather worship their wives as a source of constant sex pleasure. The mentality of such condemned persons is described by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (16.13):
FAQs
This verse criticizes people who, not knowing the truth, perform rituals for livelihood and sense pleasure and even justify animal killing as “supreme,” showing it to be a misunderstanding of dharma.
Narada is describing the degradation of religious practice—how household-centered sense enjoyment and profit-motivated ritual replace genuine spiritual understanding—so Vasudeva can grasp the need for pure devotion.
Examine spiritual practice for motive: avoid using religion for social approval, money, or indulgence, and align worship with compassion, purity, and sincere devotion to the Supreme.